All the Difference
by AutumnBelle
Summary: Typical story exploring the possibilities of what would have happened had Lily and James returned after the Priori Incantatem.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter.

* * *

The graveyard in Godric's Hollow had seen almost no activity for weeks. Some of the graves inside were so ancient, having been placed there as far back as when Godric himself was still living, that not many were visited often. One grave towards the edge of the cemetery, near the kissing gate, was adorned with a bright bouquet of daises, the family having visited on the year anniversary of their loved-ones passing.

But that was two weeks previous, and since, scarcely anyone but the lawn keeper had passed through the resting grounds of so many witches, wizards, and muggles alike.

That's why it was so strange, on that particularly hot summer's night, that there were loud noises being emitted from inside the gates of the cemetery – after all, the dead typically didn't move around much.

The sun was well set and in the distance heat lightening could be seen; it had so far been a hot summer. A rather rhythmic beating sound was spreading throughout the otherwise quiet grounds – and it all centered in the area specifically set aside for magic folk.

With a great bang and a sight of dirt flying through the air, a grave exploded as though it had internally combusted. Great gasps, whether from sobs or from need of air, could be heard – that of a woman.

Face pale and thin, a stark contrast to her red (albeit dull from lack of a proper washing), the woman behind all of the commotion peaked over her mound of dirt and grime in which she'd just exploded.

If any muggles had been near – or any magical being, for that matter – they might have fainted. With weak arms and wide eyes, the woman crawled out of her would-be grave and looked around her as though she had no idea where she had just been lying.

She had just turned her confused and gaunt face towards the remnants of her own gravestone, soon to discover a disturbing (former) truth, when another loud bang echoed through the night.

The woman was thrown back by the blast, having neither the strength nor the current reflexes to propel her body away from the other exploding grave next to hers. She laid face down, probably in a state of shock, as another shallow and sickly face blinked up out of another grave.

The man glanced around, and being a head taller than the woman, was able to use his long arms to hurl himself out of his grave faster than she had.

When the man and women, both still surveying their surroundings, met each other's gazes, all seemed to click into place.

"_Lily!" _

"_JAMES!" _

While his voice was hoarse and relieved, hers was a loud, hysterical scream.

With a look akin to horror, she unsteadily got to her feet to bring herself closer to him. Grabbing his face in her hands and stooping down to his level, her eyes filled with tears.

"You died!" Her voice cracked and her head shook back and forth fiercely. "Voldemort found us and you told me to run, and you didn't have your wand! You just – just – j-just DIED!"

James's eyes became teary also, and he grabbed both of her hands from his cheeks to hold them in his own. He couldn't see much – his glasses felt as though they had an inch of dust covering them.

"Lily . . . I remember. I – I saw the green light! I . . ." He trailed off, looking around them for any explanation.

"I think we _both _died." James pointed towards their former prisons, which held mahogany coffins. Lily, although still quite inwardly horrified, nodded calmly (the war had taught her to keep her senses).

"Yes," she whispered, her tears falling faster and hiccups breaking through her carefully constructed words. "I remember now. I tried to save him, James! But he wouldn't stop! He – he killed me to get to Harry!"

She broke down completely and James shakily held her. Her words caused his heart to speed up and tears to carve tracks on his clammy face.

_Harry. _

He saw his baby boy – bright green eyes and a tuft of soft black hair. A small body curled up next to him as he napped on the couch, his silly giggle as he avoided his nightly bath, his happy smile as James made faces at him. James closed his eyes to try and stop the panic and heart-wrenching pain. Their child was nowhere to be found.

Lily sobbed in his arms, and James had never felt more like an adult. His family had been depending on him – his beautiful wife and baby son – and now they were . . . Dead? Living? Missing? Nothing was clear, other than Voldemort had clearly won this round – possibly the last and the most important.

Lily pulled herself away from James and looked around once more.

"James, what happened? Did you wake up to find yourself in the complete dark, unable to breathe? I panicked and remembered Harry and my magic just exploded."

James was nodding the entire time. He reached up to grab his hair – a nervous tick- and found that it seemed to be permanently stuck in certain directions. It hurt his scalp when his hand ran through his hair, indicating it probably hadn't been rustled in a long while.

"Lils, we died," he whispered. "I think – something horrible is happening. People don't just come back from the dead. No matter how much we would want to, we couldn't have forced ourselves alive at the exact same moment."

Lily ignored him, instead looking around the graveyard for the tenth time.

"James, we have to find Harry! He's probably all alone and terrified! Do you think Sirius would have found him by now?"

James didn't want to answer his wife's question. He felt extremely unsettled about the entire situation. He wanted more than anything to find Harry just as she did, but he also knew that they had to first figure out what exactly had happened, as it was clear their son was nowhere in their vicinity.

"Oh dear, dear, dear."

James and Lily both froze, recognizing both the voice and the common phrase it uttered in times of trouble. Relief flowed through James, knowing that at least they would have help. But his relief was coupled with dread. Albus Dumbledore wouldn't sound so troubled without very good reason.

The wizard that walked toward them was, for once, not dressed in extravagant wizardry clothing. Instead, he wore a simple black cloak that could almost pass as acceptable in the muggle world. His blue eyes were hesitant as he surveyed the scene silently.

His wand, which James suspected had been drawn the entire time, only hidden underneath his cloak, made an appearance. James didn't like the idea of Dumbledore's wand pointing at them. He looked back warily, wishing that he could draw his own wand (which he felt in his pocket) without seeming suspicious.

"It is as I'd feared. Although it is quite obvious from whence you've both come, I ask for one shard of proof beyond question. If it is truly you, Mr. Potter, would you please indulge an old man and transform?"

James, feeling alarmed, stared at his old headmaster in bewilderment. Dumbledore had been vague (_transform?_) to the common ear, but to his experienced animagus ears, it was clear what he was requesting. But James knew, without a doubt, that Dumbledore knew nothing of his other form – nothing at all. No one, besides Sirius, Remus, and . . . and that _rat_ PETER!

With a look of fury James stood upright, nearly knocking Lily flat on her face, and drew his wand. In the next second a stunning curse was flying at the Dumbledore imposter. The old man simply flicked his wand and the curse was repelled.

James kept his wand steady and placed himself in front of Lily, who was looking even more perplexed and scared than before. He would not let anything else happen to his family.

"You SWINE!" James spat. "You bloody Death Eaters think you can spill secrets and impersonate _ALBUS DUMBLEDORE _and get away with it! Well you're wrong!"

James, who had survived three goes in his lifetime with Voldemort, found himself stunned in a second and on the ground.

The man chuckled. "That was nearly enough proof in itself to prove to me that you really are James Potter. But if you don't mind, I would prefer absolute proof, as nothing of this nature, even in my lifetime, has occurred."

With another flick of his wand, the man had James unfrozen and transforming into a beautiful stag.

As soon as James was a stag, he attempted to leap towards the old man to attack, but the Dumbledore imposter merely smiled and petrified him once more.

"Lily, my dear, forgive me for my trespasses, but I have no other way of proving your identity."

In a moment, Lily felt dizzy as her mind suddenly flipped through memories – it was a gentle sort of prodding, but completely disorienting, as she wouldn't have thought of those certain memories at the current time. Images of her childhood with Snape and Tuney flashed past, along with multiple memories of her pregnancy.

Dumbledore nodded at her as soon as she appeared grounded after the invasion.

He turned towards James with a smile. "Now, James, I can see you are unwilling to believe that it is truly I. I can offer proof in return."

With a long swish of his wand, a silvery Phoenix emerged and flew over their heads.

"A most rare patronus, particularly because it has an uncanny resemblance to Fawkes. Do you still question me?"

James, of course, who was still stunned, could not answer. But his answer was not needed. Dumbledore unfroze him once more and James, of his own volition, turned back into his normal self.

With breathing gasps, no doubt from anger, James shook his head at Dumbledore.

"Albus, we were attacked. And – and we died? I know I died!" He whispered the last exclamation, almost to himself, before continuing. "And then we just suddenly appeared in these graves and Harry's nowhere to be found!"

Lily got to her feet also, color and life returning to her dazed face. "James is right, sir." She looked troubled as her eyes, beginning to fill with tears once more, met Dumbledore's ancient blue ones.

"We didn't tell anyone!" Lily wailed. "We made Peter the Secret Keeper, and he betrayed us! He –"

"HE BLOODY WELL WILL PAY FOR IT TOO!" James cut her off and staggered forward. "We can't find Harry, Albus! Where is he? What's happening?"

Lily, at the mention of Harry, looked as though she was about to start screaming once more, but Dumbledore raised his hand to silence them.

"There is no need to be distressed. Harry is fine."

Dumbledore continued to speak, but James and Lily missed a few of his words in their relief. With a sob, Lily hugged James.

"Please," Dumbledore's controlling voice broke through their momentary happiness. They looked at him once more, and instantly became worried again at the tense look on his face.

"I know it is not what you wish to hear, but nothing is as you remember it."

James broke away from Lily, preparing to shout about Peter and dirty snitches, but Dumbledore's raised eyebrows stopped him.

"James, I know about Peter. That is not what I was referring to," Dumbledore paused slightly. "There is no easy way to tell you this, except for bluntly: You _died_."

His last word was a wondering whisper, as though even he could not completely fathom exactly what was happening.

"You died," he repeated when he saw their doubtful faces, "and you have remained dead for thirteen years."

The couple's faces looked even more doubtful than before, but now held a great amount of fear.

"I would not lie to you," Dumbledore's voice became sympathetic. "I cannot imagine what either of you are thinking right now, but it is imperative that you believe me. We need to continue this discussion behind closed doors. I am sure you have many questions, and I have many answers, but the open night is not the place for them."

Lily and James, quite stunned into silence, nodded slowly and waited for Dumbledore to make his move.

"You are probably too weak to apparate?" He questioned them. They both winced and nodded reluctantly.

Dumbledore glanced around them once more and silently raised his right arm. In the next moment, Fawkes, his beautiful phoenix, appeared perched there. Fawkes trilled at the new (or old) faces.

"I apologize for my rudeness, but I think it best if I travel to my office and send Fawkes back for the two of you. I need to make sure it is clear, and that all of the portraits are entertained elsewhere. Can I trust that you will both stay in this exact location for the minute we will be separated?"

"Yes," James's voice was still hoarse from non-use.

"Very well. I will see you in about three minutes, in my office."

Fawkes seemed to erupt in flames as she carried her owner away in her form of transportation. Despite everything that was happening, James turned to Lily with a small smile.

"I've always wanted to travel via Fawkes. At least there's that."

Lily gave an obligated eye roll and hugged her husband tighter.

"James, I'm scared." His hazel eyes turned soft as he looked down at her.

"I know. Me too. But Dumbledore will be there. He can handle anything."

Lily was becoming shaky and frantic once more, as her mind was allowed to travel to the places it'd been avoiding when Dumbledore was present.

"Wormy! He _betrayed_ us, James! You – you can't torture a location out of a Secret Keeper. He _voluntarily_ told V-Voldemort," she stumbled over the name for the first time in her life. After all, that evil man had just entered their home (in her mind), threatened her baby and killed her husband.

James felt dizzy as he nodded. He saw his friend's face – the timid smiles and hesitant way about Peter. He remembered everything; the full moons, the late nights, and hell, even the Order meetings. Peter was his _friend_.

"He was the spy all along," James trembled. "I don't understand, Lily."

Lily cried again, even though she wasn't usually one for tears. This war had broken her spirit more than she'd like to admit.

James closed his eyes. "It's all my fault. I should have _known _Peter couldn't handle that information! He's not strong enough. He probably got scared that Voldemort would come for him and just decided to go to him first!"

"But James, there's been a spy almost since we joined the Order! Peter must have been a Death Eater for _ages_! How – " her voice broke "I just can't imagine little, innocent Peter _lying_ to OUR faces, to DUMBLEDORE, and NO ONE finding him out!"

James, no longer feeling quite as guilty, felt his heart harden even further towards his old friend. He had no explanation either; almost ten years of close friendship with the man, and he _still _couldn't come up with an excuse for his behavior. There was no excuse; Peter really was all rat – even at heart.

They both jumped as Fawkes reappeared in midair, flapping her wings and trilling once more.

"Right, so . . ." James studied the phoenix. "We grab onto you?"

Fawkes landed on his outstretched arm, and although her talons should have hurt him, they didn't. They held tight and Lily grabbed him around the waist as Fawkes carried them away.

Somehow it was more peaceful than apparating, but equally disorienting. When they arrived in Dumbledore's office, James blinked rapidly, seeing only bright colors and hearing wind in his ears still.

"It takes a few travels to become accustomed," the headmaster's old voice broke through James's mind struggle.

When he could finally see again, James studied his surroundings. The office looked much the same as it always had – dozens of trinkets were littered in an orderly manner around the room, portraits hung on the surfaces of the walls, and comfy chairs lined the desk of Albus Dumbledore.

The main difference, which James had not noticed in the dimly lit sky, was the now clearly aged appearance of Dumbledore. His hair, which had always seemed to be white, now looked even brighter – and his skin, although it had always been wrinkled – now was almost frail looking.

"You're _old_!" The childish words escaped him before he could stop them.

Dumbledore, however, didn't appear to be insulted whatsoever. Instead, he threw his head back and laughed wholeheartedly.

"Well, I am nearly a hundred and twenty years old, dear boy."

James blushed, something he very rarely did, and looked at Lily to distract himself. She touched one of his cheeks, letting him know that if she hadn't been so shocked herself, she would have teased him about his embarrassment.

"Peter, sir. He actually betrayed us?" It hurt James's heart to hear his kind wife even utter those words – she didn't deserve this.

Dumbledore's face drew weary and he nodded. "It is often not until we look back that we realize how blatantly clear the signs were. Peter was never the brightest, nor the most popular, and it is of my belief that he joined Voldemort in hopes of gaining the favor of a powerful wizard."

"You're more powerful than Voldemort! He was already joined with you! Rubbish! He's – he's –" Even though Peter had already betrayed, even though he'd gotten them all killed, James still found it hard to speak ill will against the man he'd once thought of as his brother. The wounds were still fresh and still horribly unbelievable.

Dumbledore crossed his hands on the desk in front of him. "Thank you for your kind words, James. And be that as it may, Peter was far more terrified of Voldemort than of me. While I may have the power, I do not wish to hold it over witches, wizards, or muggleborns as Voldemort chose. Peter believed that his master's drive for dangerous, dark, and powerful means would ultimately overpower all of the good. It is a sad day when a man gives up hope on the world."

James didn't like Dumbledore's words any more than he liked the way in which he spoke them – _Was, Chose_, _Believed _– all of them were past tense, when they should have been present. All of this happened years ago, when James had been DEAD.

"Sir, excuse me for sounding frank, but how exactly do you know about Peter anyway? We never told anyone – it was a last minute decision."

Dumbledore gave a great sigh. "Well, casting aside that you both told me about Peter after you . . . awoke . . . a very confusing string of events has occurred in previous years that brought to light exactly who your Secret Keeper had been."

James wasn't stupid – his eyes became wide and his heart beat fast as he realized the horrifying truth. "No, Albus! Sirius – Sirius wasn't the Secret Keeper, surely you would have never thought he'd betray us! He must have found you and proved himself innocent, and then you – you . . . found Peter, and?"

And what? Imprisoned him?

Dumbledore had a weary smile on his face as he studied the couple in front of him.

"I am sorry to say that I never got the chance to speak with Sirius following your deaths. I was notified that your Fidelius Charm had been breached, and having not heard from either of you, expected the worse. The problem began when other magical families of Godric's Hollow suddenly were able to see your destructed house. Most of them, besides a few, had not known you dwelled there, and upon seeing your destroyed house and no Dark Mark, contacted the Ministry."

Dumbledore let out a weary sigh. "I am getting ahead of myself."

Dumbledore looked into Lily's green eyes, his own extremely compassionate, as he continued. "Lily, you died for your son that night. You willingly died, when you could have lived. Voldemort gave you an option, did he not? He told you that you could move aside. Because you did not, even when you still could have, your sacrifice invoked an ancient blood protection that even Voldemort knew not of. When he turned his wand on Harry, his killing curse rebounded, leaving him all but dead."

James and Lily stared at the headmaster in silence.

"From that moment on, it was believed that Voldemort had been defeated. Word soon spread that Harry had survived. Death Eaters started to flee. I was unable to go to Godric's Hollow, as I was at the Ministry, trying to control the situation. Not only did I believe that Sirius had betrayed you – but I also believed that Voldemort was not really gone for good. I sent Hagrid to collect Harry before anyone at the Ministry could find him, and sent him to the only living relatives he had left."

The Potter's expressions became confused, not immediately understanding, and Dumbledore held a hand up to silence them before the outbreak.

"When you died, Lily, I mentioned the blood protection? For as long as Harry lived with someone he shared the same blood with, he would be protected from harm. Regardless of whether Sirius had actually betrayed you, he had to be sent to a blood relative."

Lily was shaking her head, becoming upset, but Dumbledore's look silenced them once more.

"Even though I found it impossible to believe Sirius would betray either of you, I had no reason to believe anyone but him had been your Secret Keeper. You never told me otherwise. And, unfortunately, more evidenced stacked up against Mr. Black that I could not ignore at the time. He, as I discovered many years later, had gone to find Peter that night before you were even attacked. He sensed something was wrong. When he reached Peter's hideout to find it undisturbed but empty, he went to check on you."

Dumbledore looked at the bewildered couple in front of him. They would probably need a calming potion by the end of the night.

"We he reached Godric's Hollow, the attack had just ended. Other witches and wizards were wandering around, too afraid to approach the house but wanting to know what was happening. The muggles, of course, couldn't see a thing with the still standing muggle repulsion charms. When Sirius entered the house, it is understandable that he completely broke down upon seeing the wreckage. It is my assumption that he was the first to find Harry alive and Voldemort vanished – many reports from that night say that Sirius was frantically screaming. By the time Hagrid arrived to collect Harry, Sirius was vengeful."

James was nodding in agreement. Sirius wouldn't have just curled up and cried. He would have gone after Peter. Padfoot had never been one for planning things out – he would have wanted to find Peter before he ran away.

"Peter was in the vicinity. Whether he was actually concerned for your safety, or whether he arrived when his Dark Mark began to change, it is unclear. But Sirius found him anyway, and cornered him. It is very unfortunate, however, that Peter had a plan. He screamed for everyone around to hear that Sirius had betrayed you, cut off his finger without anyone noticing but Sirius, blew up the street, and escaped. Thirteen muggles died. When the Ministry found Sirius, he was cackling. They arrested him and sent him to Azkaban without a trial for the murder of the muggles and of Peter."

James, who was normally boisterous, blinked at Dumbledore silently. He shook his head over and over again.

"This isn't happening," he whispered. "This isn't real. Peter wouldn't betray us! Peter wouldn't kill anyone! Sirius – Sirius can't have gone to Azkaban!"

James stood up and looked around frantically. "Albus, where is he? He's not in Azkaban! You know he's innocent now, he must be okay!"

Dumbledore, unbeknownst to the Potters, cast a small calming charm and motioned for James to sit back down.

"Yes, James. Sirius is fine. He escaped a year ago, went after Peter again, and thankfully was caught by me, not the Ministry. I have heard his part, and know that he has done nothing wrong. Everything is fine. He's on the run still, but he's alive and sane."

James and Lily found themselves having a hard time adjusting to anything Dumbledore was saying – after all, just moments before (in their minds) they'd been running for their lives from Voldemort. And now, awoken, they were thirteen years in the future and everything – absolutely everything – appeared different.

"Wait, last year? That would be twelve years then, wouldn't it? Escaped? You can't escape! I don't understand –" James rambled and suddenly, his mind drifted to other places. "What about Harry? You've – other relatives? I haven't got relatives, Lily's-" James stopped and stared at Lily in horror.

Dumbledore stood. His authority was clear. "It has been a long thirteen years, I'm afraid. For me to explain everything just moments after you've reappeared would not do you well. However, I think there is one more explanation that can be had tonight."

Dumbledore stared at both of their faces, which were still pale and frantic.

"You have not returned to life simply because you've "willed it". In fact, no one intended to bring you back, or knew for that matter that you could be brought back. A situation such as the one that has occurred this night has most likely never occurred in previous years. It is my belief that you are two of five souls to return to the living. Before I left to retrieve you, another had awoken. And I will leave from our conversation here tonight in search of the other two, who are most likely even more grievously confused than either of you."

Lily and James were silent as Dumbledore held up a small bottle.

"This is a calming drought. I will give it to you tonight, and it will most likely be strong enough to lull you both to sleep also. In the morning, we will discuss what to do of your affairs. I must think on what to tell the Ministry . . . if to tell them at all. This world is not the one you left, I'm afraid."

"Dumbledore, if you know others have and will return, then you must know why?"

Dumbledore inclined his head slightly and nodded grimly.

"Tonight, Lord Voldemort, after thirteen years of hiding and biding his time, has returned to full power. Upon receiving his renewed, powerful form, he engaged in a duel with a wand that brothers his own. When brother wands attempt to harm each other, they cause a peculiar event to occur – Priori Incantatem – which, if one wand overpowers the other, causes said wand to reverse the previous spells it cast. Voldemort, since he has not been able to do wand magic in so long, has not had many other spells cast after he killed you. You appeared as a ghost of yourselves – which I'm assuming you don't remember, as I'm sure you would have mentioned – and now, after the magic has had its time to work, returned to your full bodies."

James suddenly broke out into a loud, boisterous laugh.

Dumbledore sighed and handed Lily the potion. "I will show you both to safe, hidden quarters where you will rest tonight. You both look rather tired despite your thirteen year slumber."

James was still out of control. "How ironic!" He chuckled. "Voldemort kills us, and then he inadvertently brings us back!"

Lily looked at him gravely and grabbed his hand. She followed Dumbledore through a side door that was connected to his office.

"I believe if each of you drink half the bottle, that will do."

Lily took the potion from Dumbledore and handed it to James, who was still smiling.

"Dumbledore . . . you haven't told us anything about Harry. Not that I'm not grateful to be alive, but . . . Harry's what important to us. I know you said he's all right, but could we please be with him tonight? It would calm us more than any potion."

Lily's green eyes were desperate as she pleaded with Dumbledore. James sobered himself and waited for his answer.

Dumbledore's eyes were sad as he answered them. "I am truly sorry to say that I don't think it would be a good idea to reunite with your son tonight. I will have to have a very difficult talk with him in order to convince him that you are alive. I'm sure you understand? People don't normally return from the grave."

Fire came to Lily's eyes as she opened her mouth to plead her case once more. James grabbed her sleeve and slowly shook his head.

"Albus is right, Lily. If Harry's anything like us, he'll fight the truth if it's pushed on him. You have to admit this entire situation is a bit mad. I wouldn't believe it if it wasn't happening to myself."

Lily seemed to shrink back and she gave up hope. Just as she uncorked the lid of the potion, Dumbledore gave them a few lasts words.

"It will give you peace in some way, though, to know that Harry has never forgotten you. Not a day goes by where he doesn't long to have you both with him. Your return will mean the world to him."

After Dumbledore had gone, and the potion was ingested by both of them, they tiredly laid down on the small bed he'd provided them with.

"He'll be fourteen, James, according to what Dumbledore has told us. It seems impossible, doesn't it?" Lily whispered. For the first night in over a year, they would be sleeping without their baby in the next room.

"Yes, but he'll still be ours. That's all that matters."

* * *

The next morning, they awoke and finally got to clean themselves up.

Dumbledore was waiting in their room when they returned from the bathroom.

He cleared his throat. "I had a talk with Harry this morning."

Lily and James froze, looking at him wide-eyed.

"Due to recent circumstances where a Death Eater was impersonating a teacher, it is safe to say that Harry was reluctant to believe me when I told him of your return. However, I suppose my reputation precedes me, and it took only a few minutes of explanation to convince him I was truthful."

"So he knows we're here? We can be with him then?"

Dumbledore looked at the Potters gravely. "Soon. But before you go to him, I would suggest that I tell you more about the last thirteen years. I doubt Harry would do them justice."

Dumbledore led them back to his once again empty office and sat them down in comfy chairs. He motioned towards a cabinet.

"Afterwards, if you please, you will always have access to previous _Daily Prophets_ if you desire more detail. But I assure you I have more facts than the daily newspaper."

Only when he had sat down, grabbed a lemon drop, and stared at them for another minute (in which time James became very impatient) did he speak.

"After the night Voldemort attacked you, and he was forced to recede powerless, the Wizarding World lived in peace for ten years. I will only gloss over the particulars, but when Harry arrived at Hogwarts, everything changed. Whether it be because Voldemort knew Harry would be learning magic, or simply because he had finally found a solution to return to power, I do not know. But he convinced one of our professors to let him share his body, and for the entire school year lived on the back of his head."

Lily and James both looked alarmed.

"His _head?_ A teacher? A whole year and you never noticed?" James exclaimed.

Dumbledore gave them a weary look. "I know you will wish to speak much during the next couple of minutes, but please refrain."

"Voldemort wanted inside of Hogwarts to obtain the Sorcerer's Stone, which would give him immortality. I stored it here when he tried going after my friend Nicholas to obtain it. In the end, however, Harry managed to stop his professor from getting the stone and Voldemort from returning."

James and Lily looked perplexed, not satisfied with his explanation at all. But Dumbledore kept talking sternly.

"The next year, an old Death Eater tried to revive his master by giving a young girl a diary which housed a memory of Voldemort. The memory of Voldemort used the soul of the young girl to attempt to gain a body once more. He opened the Chamber of Secrets and petrified a couple of students. Because the girl was the sister of Harry's best friend, the pair of them tried to go to the Chamber and save her. And they did, and Voldemort was thwarted once more."

"And, of course, last year Sirius escaped. Harry played a huge part in freeing him, you'll be happy to know. By coincidence, Peter had been playing the role of his best friend's rat for the past couple years. Sirius, while in Azkaban, saw a photo of the boy on the _Daily Prophet _with the rat, knew Peter would be at Hogwarts with Harry, and escaped to find him. Harry happened to be with his friend when Sirius was finally able to corner Peter, explained his story, and the rest is history. Unfortunately, Peter escaped once more, therefore, we have no way of proving Sirius's innocence to the Ministry."

"And at last, we arrive at this year. Hogwarts hosted the legendary Triwizard Tournament, in which three young witches or wizards compete (one from each of three schools). As I mentioned earlier, a Death Eater was impersonating a teacher, and he managed to place Harry's name in the drawing of candidates without anyone's knowledge, and Harry was forced to be a forth competitor. Everything went as smoothly as possible until last night, when Voldemort killed the other Hogwarts candidate and used Harry's blood to return to life. Harry is physically fine, but shaken up emotionally."

The Potters looked at Dumbledore, slack jawed from his rushed over explanations. Those stories sounded like they had much, much more to them. But Dumbledore never elaborated unless he thought it was wise to do so.

"You talk like Harry was a central point in all of this. Surely you're exaggerating! I mean, he's what . . . only fourteen right now, right?"

Dumbledore looked at James and shook his head grimly.

"You remember the prophecy?"

James and Lily looked at each other, understanding and dread filling their eyes.

"No . . . " Lily whispered, and she didn't mean that she didn't remember the prophecy. It was all too clear that she remembered it perfectly.

"Voldemort heard part of the prophecy, and that is the reason he decided to attack you that night, as you know. When his curse rebounded off of Harry, it left a lightening-shaped scar on his forehead. Voldemort marked him as his equal."

Lily's green eyes were starting to return to their normal bright color, compared to the dull green the day before. They sparkled as she looked at the headmaster.

"That's just absurd. How could Voldemort believe a _baby_ would be his downfall?"

Dumbledore gave a small smile. "Tom never did think rationally."

James was being uncharacteristically silent. Dumbledore studied him carefully.

"James?"

James shook his head once, his face set in a hard expression.

"If you knew, sir, then why? Why would you let all of this happen to him? He's just a boy! You know as well as any that Voldemort fears you more than he's ever feared anyone else! Harry didn't even need to get involved!"

Dumbledore's eyes saddened. Lily, who had been ready to rally behind her husband, found that Dumbledore's solemn expression almost made her feel sorry for him.

"I'm afraid that no matter how much I interfered, it all would have still come back to Harry and Voldemort. Voldemort _believes_ in the prophecy, James. And that is the most important factor. The more he believes Harry will be his defeat or vice versa, the closer reality mirrors the prophecy. I cannot change Voldemort's mind."

"But you knew he was probably still alive," said Lily quietly. Her green eyes were sad and defeated. This entire conversation was a hundred times worse than the first conversation they'd had about the prophecy before Harry was even born – now, they knew it was definitely their son.

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, of course. But I did not know where. You were in the Order. You know how difficult it was to gain any type of solid information on his whereabouts whenever people actually knew he was alive! But trying to find him when he was only a fraction of a soul . . . and when I could only speculate that I was correct . . . it just wasn't plausible."

A silence overcame the room. The Potters knew that the more they talked about the past thirteen years, the more upset they would become. The only positive about the years they'd been gone seemed to be that Harry survived – and Sirius escaped. They both silently thought that moving on to the present would be the only way to deal with the past.

"Despite your authority, Headmaster, I insist that we see Harry. He is our son."

Lily didn't like the cold tone in James's voice. It didn't belong there; James was supposed to be carefree and funny and optimistic. The war had changed that, of course, but the one thing he had always remained was loyal. Now that Peter had betrayed them, and Dumbledore was telling them all these confusing, unbelievable and incomplete tales of grandeur – well, maybe James was questioning his judgment.

Dumbledore drew in a long, deep breath – a sign of nervousness that he rarely showed – and nodded grimly.

"I'm going to warn you, though, that Harry has suffered horrible trauma in the past day. He saw another student, not a close friend but certainly a comrade, killed before his eyes. I have explained to the best of my ability your return. He – well, he accepts it as much as he can at the moment. He's very confused and as I said earlier – there was a Death Eater impersonating a teacher – so he is also wary of whom he can trust."

"We'll have that to bond over, then," said James bitterly.

Lily grabbed his hand as if to restrain him as they stood. Dumbledore stood also, and from behind his desk he pulled out a cloak.

"You still have it!" James exclaimed, his previous hostility forgotten for the moment.

Both Lily and Dumbledore were smiling.

"Well, to a certain extent. I gave it back to its proper owner when he reached Hogwarts. I am only borrowing it again, so that you may travel to the hospital wing without causing a stir. I am still unsure of whether we can trust the Ministry with the news of your return – or, if the Wizarding world would even be able to accept it."

James ignored Dumbledore's words and ran his hands over his old cloak.

"He's had it, then? Does he use it?"

Dumbledore laughed. "You may have been separated from him, James, but he still _is _your son."

Lily, who had been hoping that Harry would never be quite so much like his father was as a teenager, found herself smiling as well. There had been a reason she'd fallen in love with James.

James draped the cloak over himself and Lily. Dumbledore motioned them forward and out of the office.

"Remember that you're invisible. Try to be quiet," Dumbledore whispered.

James, of course, was used to being under the cloak, but Lily found herself walking more carefully.

The castle had not aged. It was so heartwarming to see everything again – the portraits, the knights, the occasional student. The world they had woken up to was much, much different than anything they'd left behind. But Hogwarts had remained the same.

When they reached the hospital wing, voices were carrying out from behind the closed doors.

"Don't ask him that, Ronald!"

"I wasn't really going to, Hermione! I was just wondering! Can't I just have a normal conversation?"

"It's not normal."

"It was until you started –"

"If you don't shut up we'll get kicked out!"

Dumbledore pushed the door to the hospital wing open and Lily and James were met with the sight of two arguing teenagers.

The girl, Hermione, blushed bright red when she saw the Headmaster.

"Sir! We – we were just checking up on him! We didn't talk to him, or – or wake him up even."

The boy, who had bright red hair, nodded vigorously.

Dumbledore sighed. "I would have expected no less. But I would ask that you leave before Madam Pomfrey finds you."

Hermione and Ronald left with concerned and sheepish expressions on their faces.

"His best friends. They've been very concerned. But Harry isn't ready to talk about what happened yet. I will ask you not to speak of it unless he does?"

Lily and James nodded, although Dumbledore still could not see them. At the moment, the least of their worries were with what they would say to Harry. They could see him now – just that bunch of messy black hair sticking out of a pile of blankets on the nearest bed.

Dumbledore took the Invisibility Cloak as James pulled it off of them and strode forward.

Lily ran forward and dropped to her knees next to the bed. Looking at Harry with wide, excited eyes, she found his hand underneath the blankets and grasped it.

"He's so big!" She whispered.

James sat down in the chair beside the bed and grabbed the glasses on the stand.

Smiling, he examined them. "Poor boy. He ended up as blind as I am."

Lily ignored her husband and slowly pulled the covers away from Harry's face.

"James, he looks just like you!"

James stared down at Harry's face and saw that Lily was not exaggerating. Harry's nose, his chin, his lips, his hair – everything was nearly identical to James's appearance.

"Wow," he whispered. Harry had of course looked like him when he was a baby, but now it was actually uncanny.

Except for one tiny detail.

James leaned forward and moved Harry's hair back slightly. A lightening-shaped scar adorned his forehead. Lily reached forward as if to touch it, but seemed to remember at the last moment that Harry was sleeping.

There was silence as both of the Potters were abruptly broken from their amazement and reminded of the fate their son might face.

"He's a little skinnier than you were, though, I think," said Lily nervously, trying to change the subject.

James was having a hard time grasping the concept that this teenager was supposed to be the baby he'd just died for only hours ago. He wanted to do so many things – he wanted to scream at Dumbledore for all the unanswered questions, and he wanted to find Peter and make him pay for almost killing off his entire family. James wanted to go fight Voldemort and tell him that Harry wouldn't be his "equal" anymore. He wanted to wake Harry up and ask him millions of questions – he wished that he didn't _have_ to ask Harry so many questions. He should have already known the answers.

Out of all the things James wished he could have done or said, he stuck with less daring for once in his life.

"I hope he still has your eyes," he whispered.

Lily, who had never really lost her smile, smiled even more brightly.

"He's so perfect," she said.

James smiled playfully at her. "Will you still think that if he wakes up and my looks aren't the only thing he's inherited?"

Lily rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to reply, when suddenly her smiling face tightened to shock. Her eyes flashed down to her hand, which Harry was now clasping tightly.

"He's - he's holding my hand!"

James ignored her and drew in a deep breath as he looked down at his son.

Harry was awake, his bright green eyes staring straight at his father with fear.

* * *

AN: This was posted purely for fun. I like stories where Lily and James return and just wanted to write something about it. That being said, if any details are wrong, it is because I wrote this quickly and without a specific purpose. Also, I know that I made some stuff up regarding the explanation Dumbledore gives Lily and James about everything that happened at Godric's Hollow (seriously, what the heck actually happened, that whole missing day thing drives me crazy!).

I also know that this is probably thee most unoriginal Lily/James returns! fic. I wasn't intending to write something new, though.

Maybe one day I'll update this and finish the story with Lily/James alive.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO **

The room was completely silent.

Lily and James spared one glance at each other in slight panic. Having Harry suddenly awake was completely different from _hoping_ he would soon awake. They didn't know what to say to him; he couldn't exactly talk very much the last time they'd seen him. Anything they knew about him – his favorite foods, his favorite toy, how they'd spent Christmas – had happened years ago and were undoubtedly unimportant and forgotten by Harry.

What _do_ you say to a son who hasn't seen you since infancy and has since known you to be dead?

Although neither of them particularly wanted to stop staring at Harry, they looked to each other in hesitance. Lily raised her eyebrows at James, and he took that to mean she wanted him to say something.

_You're the one who can't ever keep his mouth shut. _She didn't vocalize the words, but James could practically hear them ringing in his ears.

Harry had slowly let go of Lily's hand and pushed himself upward into a sitting position. His hair was a rat's nest and his face was pale and tired, but the most noticeable feature seemed to be his confusion.

Harry cleared his throat, which sounded quite dry, and looked between his parents nervously, refusing to actually meet their eyes.

"My glasses?"

James started at the sound of his voice. Suddenly he became sluggish and slow. He stared down at Harry's glasses in his hand like he wasn't quite sure what to do with them.

Lily gave James an exasperated look he didn't see, and reached forward to gently grab the glasses from his hand. Without really thinking about it, she ignored Harry's outstretched hand and went to put his glasses on his face for him. He flinched slightly as she got closer, but after a moment's hesitation let his mother push them onto his face.

Harry stared at them both in turn, his body tense and his eyes uncertain.

"Dumbledore promises it's really you," said Harry, as though he was still unsure about believing the Headmaster.

Lily nodded. "Yes, I promise, Harry. It's really us."

Harry stared at his sheets. Lily looked at James and mouthed, "Say something".

James was having difficulty thinking of anything _to_ say. He wasn't used to having a son – well, he was used to having a baby. But babies didn't talk back or get upset unless they were hungry or needed changed or something. He wasn't Lily; he didn't know how to comfort Harry. Lily had been absolutely maternal since before she'd even _had_ Harry. James figured she'd probably been maternal to everything and everyone since she was a child herself.

James hadn't even considered being a father until it was suddenly becoming a reality. He had always cared more for fun times and jokes and the war. When he'd held Harry for the first time, of course, all of that had changed and his focus had been on protecting his family.

But James hadn't protected his family. Lily had died. Harry had been almost killed. He'd grown up an orphan. By definition, James had failed at the protection aspect, and he knew next to nothing about how to fix it. What good could Harry possibly think of him?

"We – we're so proud of you. Dumbledore told us how strong you've been," James finally managed to say.

Harry shrugged.

Lily bit her lip and hesitantly laid her hand over his.

"You don't have to be afraid of us, sweetheart. We love you. And we're so, so sorry we haven't been here."

Harry blushed. "I'm not _afraid_ of you. I – I just can't believe this is real. I used to dream something like this would happen. It's just – nothing good like this ever happens to me. What if Voldemort planned this?"

The fear hadn't been because they were there. The fear was that maybe they _wouldn't_ be there again.

James found his voice. "Dumbledore said no one could have known this would happen. Even if he had planned it - I bloody well won't have that piece of shit ruining my life again!"

"James," Lily hissed, "watch it."

James waved her off. "He's fourteen. Besides, I reckon if ever there's a time to call someone a piece of shit, Voldemort should be involved."

His heart warmed a bit when Harry gave the tiniest of smiles.

The hospital wing was silent once more. Where did they start?

"We, um, we saw your friends. Dumbledore said they came to visit you," Lily prodded.

Harry's brows scrunched. "They saw you before I did?"

James smiled. "Nah, we were under the cloak. It's brilliant, isn't it? Dumbledore's a good man, giving a student such an item even though he's the Headmaster."

Harry smiled outright. "Yeah. It was one of the best presents I've ever gotten."

Lily rose from her position on the floor and sat down next to him on the bed. Harry's face was slowly losing its uncertainty and now held amazement.

"Will . . . will you tell me about us?" asked Harry.

James cocked his head in confusion. "Us?"

Harry looked to Lily. "Us. Like as a family."

Lily didn't have as hard of a time as James thinking of what to say. She forced her arm around Harry and lightly leaned him against her. He didn't fight it or tense up like before, but he still seemed as though he couldn't quite believe what was happening.

"Well, your dad and I got married shortly after graduating. We both worked intensively for the Order until I became pregnant, and then I was more of an inactive member. We had a cute little house. I never cared for mansions or award-winning landscape. We had a cat, her name was Bubbles."

"Wonky name," James whispered.

Lily glanced at him. "Anyway, we mostly kept to ourselves. Sirius, Remus, and –" she cut off. There was an awkward silence in which Harry nodded.

"Peter."

Lily brought her hand up to rest on his head. "Yes, Peter. They were nearly always over. We had friends in the Order, of course, but everyone was constantly busy. You were happy. Hardly ever cried after you started sleeping through the nights. Once you started to crawl, we could scarcely leave you alone or you'd wander off."

"You liked to fly," James interrupted. "You had a tiny toy broomstick you were crazy over."

Harry smiled. "Yes, I still like to fly. Everyone says I got my talent from you."

James and Harry's eyes met for the first time since he'd woken up. The green really was just as brilliant as Lily's.

James raised an eyebrow. "Everyone? Is that a hint that you play Quidditch? Or do you just generally fly around reeking havoc? Either would be completely acceptable."

Harry grinned and shrugged. "Just the Quidditch bit. Seeker."

James stared at him with narrowed eyes, appraising him. "Yes, I can see that."

Harry didn't give him any more offers of information. James was sure he could pry anything out of him, but he didn't want to push Harry just yet. His son seemed to still be having trouble processing the entire situation. His eyes would linger on either Lily or James for a few moments before switching to the other parent and repeating the process.

"This is brilliant," he finally said.

Lily smiled down at him. "You definitely believe us, then?"

Harry ignored her question. "My entire life I saw other families on holiday, or having lunch, or shopping for Christmas. And I always had this feeling inside me, reminding me that I was the only one left of my family. Just to sit here with you – it's the happiest I've ever felt."

James couldn't imagine how he would have felt, had Harry died and they'd lived. How would it be to see other families with their children, knowing you'd lost that? And, of course, it was completely different for Harry than them. Although no one would have been able to replace Harry, they could have still had other children. Harry only had one set of biological parents.

Lily stroked her son's hair and looked at him gently.

"Dumbledore told us you've grown up with my sister. It – she wasn't too . . . harsh on you, was she? She and Vernon never particularly liked magic."

Harry looked to his sheets and refused to meet their eyes. He paused for several seconds, in which Lily and James looked at each other in dread.

"It could have been worse," was all he offered.

James waited for Lily to say something. She was better at keeping her head. But she looked so unsure of herself that James figured she didn't want to reveal to Harry the fights she'd had with her sister. They bothered Lily more than she would ever let on.

"Well, then, why don't you tell us how they could have been better?"

Lily gave James a warning look at his tone.

Harry shook his head. "I don't want to talk about them. We have other, better things to talk about."

James was sorting out the dozens of questions he was prepared to ask, trying to determine their order of importance. There was no way, of course, that they could sit in the hospital wing until they were satisfied they knew each other well enough. They would never be satisfied; they needed to be with him and actually know the answers to the questions without having to ask. Time was the only solution to this problem. So for now, James was ready to focus on the simpler, happier topics that wouldn't upset anyone.

"Ok, then. What do you want to talk about?" asked James.

Harry was quiet for many moments, his eyes darting here and there in concentration. The temporary silence wasn't awkward or tense, but somehow peaceful. James found himself wishing that they could never leave the hospital wing; that this moment would carry on forever, just the three of them together and safe.

"Really, Albus, I've had enough! You might be the Headmaster, but I insist! I need to see my patient!"

All of them looked towards the door, and found that they had all forgotten about Dumbledore. His shadow was visible through the misted glass of the hospital wing's door. Back turned toward them, he was fending off Madam Pomfrey, who sounded as though she would soon use force to get around him.

Lily slowly slid away from the bed and looked at Harry forlornly.

"I'm sorry, dear, but the Headmaster is insisting we remain a secret. I suspect he's correct. No one will be able to accept we're really back."

James finally found the courage to reach out to Harry; he ruffled his hair affectionately as he stood. With a sigh, he gestured towards the Invisibility Cloak, which was now resting on the nearest empty bed.

"We'll have to leave. But I promise you, we will be back. Or maybe you'll be well enough to come stay with us soon."

Harry's heartbroken face was almost enough to stop both of his parents from leaving. The boy in front of them, although they hardly knew him as a person, seemed like he was strong. Out of all the stories they'd heard, he had certainly faced things well beyond his years. But his expression as he watched his parents walk away made him appear years younger than his fourteen.

James and Lily covered themselves with the cloak before they could change their minds.

James tapped Lily on the shoulder and nodded back towards Harry.

"Let's take him with us."

Lily looked back briefly but shook her head. "No. If Madam Pomfrey says he needs to be here, he needs to stay. We don't really know everything that happened. Dumbledore said they took his blood."

They were forced to squish against the wall when Madam Pomfrey finally fended off Dumbledore.

"I'm glad you're awake, Potter! I apologize for the wait."

She was trying to force a Calming Potion in him when Dumbledore inclined his head for Lily and James to follow him. The walk back to his office was painstakingly slow and miserable. Neither of them was really looking forward to being cooped up; they had been hiding before their deaths, and now they would have to spend an immeasurable amount of time in hiding once more.

When they passed the Great Hall, voices of hundreds of children floated out. They sounded quite subdued, and it struck the Potters as unusual. Even during the first war, Hogwarts had remained relatively untouched.

"We will need to hold an artificial ceremony for Mr. Diggory, the student who returned shortly before the two of you," Dumbledore whispered. "It is unfortunate, but it is safest. Voldemort would hunt all of you down and kill you if he ever finds out you have returned. He takes pride in killing, and it would rather insult him if he knew he'd inadvertently gave someone life."

"I think 'insult' is putting it mildly," James murmured.

The halls were completely empty. The only sound echoing off the stone was their soft footsteps.

"Sir, if we have to keep this a secret . . . who is it safe to tell?" Lily asked hesitantly. She felt like a schoolgirl again, so unsure of the world around her and how it worked.

Dumbledore turned a corner and gazed around before proceeding.

"Most of those in the Order should be fairly trustworthy. There are a few, however, that we will not tell. They have no reason to know, considering they never knew you before. We can tell Remus and Sirius, of course. I also believe that the Weasleys will find out shortly. In fact, it would not surprise me if Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley have already sneaked back to visit Harry."

There was a beat of silence.

"Are there any . . . older members left?" James inquired.

Lily waited with bated breath. Dumbledore waited for a portrait of a mumbling old witch to pass before he answered.

"A few. Diggle, Doge, Moody, Fletcher, Figg . . . while I'm sure they'll be happy to rejoin the Order, I'm not certain they need to necessarily know that you are alive. The more people that know, the more risk there is of exposure, whether unintended or intended."

Lily felt a question threatening to fly from her mouth; and yet she was so afraid of the answer that she wanted to stop it. Ignorance was bliss sometimes.

James must have felt her tension, because he looked down at her in concern.

"And the Longbottoms, sir . . . I assume . . ." she trailed off.

Dumbledore sighed and shook his head. "I am sorry, Lily. That is a story for another time. Let us just say that many would consider you and James to have met a better fate."

Both of them looked momentarily startled.

"Is that supposed to make us feel better?" James blurted involuntarily.

They reached the gargoyle that guarded the Headmaster's office. Before speaking his password, Dumbledore turned to look at them sadly. Regardless of their invisibility, he seemed to know the general location of their faces.

"I am only trying to save you from more grief. I would advise you both to only focus on Harry from here on out. Forget about the thirteen years you have been gone. You could not have returned at a more crucial moment. Harry is going to need you both if he is to face what is to come."

James felt his heartbeat accelerating. Dumbledore needed to accept that they weren't going to _let_ Harry face any of it! A fourteen-year-old should not have to face the darkest wizard in over a century. Dumbledore was mad to believe it was plausible.

The Headmaster - even though neither of the Potters had said a word, even though he could not see their expressions – looked at them sternly.

"That being said, you both need to accept Harry's fate. The more you try to deny and avoid it, the worse matters will get, I assure you."

He didn't wait for a reply. Instead he turned his back sharply on them and said rather cheerfully to the gargoyle, "Hinkypunk".

James and Lily both bit their tongues as they followed him back up the familiar stairs to his office. They were grown adults; they didn't want someone telling them how to live their lives. Unfortunately, although both of them silently felt Dumbledore was wrong, they also knew that he was the one wizard who usually knew what he was doing. They would have immediately trusted his advice in any other situation – it was just different when the advice wasn't what they wanted to hear.

By the time the spiraling staircase had twirled them upward, it was clear something was wrong. Dumbledore climbed to the top of the stairs and held a hand out toward them, indicating they should wait.

He opened the office door purposefully. He marched inside – and whether by intention or not, he let the door hang slightly open. It was all the invitation James needed to eavesdrop.

Lily let out a small gasp when the office was completely visible.

"Severus," Dumbledore greeted.

Snape's face was paler than usual and his robes were torn.

James looked at Lily incredulously, but her eyes were still on the scene in front of them. She was just pointing at Snape when James saw the reason for her distress.

With shaking hands, Snape pulled down his sleeve over a very visible, very irritated Dark Mark.

"It is worse than we feared, Albus."

Dumbledore kept an impassive face as he strode behind his desk.

"Is it? You are alive, are you not? That is more than we hoped for, I believe."

Snape gave a grumbling sigh that was almost a bitter laugh.

"You do not know how lucky I am. The only reason I am alive is because he believes I am in a proper position to adequately spy on you."

Dumbledore nodded merrily, his face alight with a grin.

"Yes! Yes, that's perfect, Severus! It's exactly what we hoped for. I'm sure a bit of spying on me won't harm anything in the long run."

James looked at Lily with wide, disbelieving eyes.

"He's actually mad," he whispered. Lily paid him no mind, her face set in a small scowl of uncertainty.

Snape seemed to feel the same way as James; he laughed coldly at the Headmaster.

"Spy on you for him. Spy on him for you. Protect the boy. Teach these dunderheads. What makes you so sure I will remain faithful? For what purpose am I doing this?" Snape snarled.

When Dumbledore's eyes shot slyly to the opened door in which they were standing, James's heart dropped considerably.

"I think you'll find the answer behind you," said Dumbledore.

James would have rather set himself on fire than take off that Invisibility Cloak. But Lily took in a deep breath and looked up at him with such confusion that he softened. He wasn't stupid; a spy in the inner circle of Death Eaters was something the Order had always wanted but never had. And now, especially with Harry – well, even _James_ couldn't deny that Snape would be helpful. If Dumbledore really believed that Snape could be trusted . . .

With shaking hands Lily pulled off the cloak and smiled hesitantly at her former best friend.

* * *

AN: Well first of all, I want to say thank you so much for the reviews/alerts/favorites! I posted this thinking that most people would ignore it. Because of that, I sort of didn't even bother to think about where I wanted to go with the plot. But because some people seem to like the story, I'm going to sit down and figure something out. I already have ideas, of course, just not the entire picture. Opinions are welcome.

And, as I mentioned in the first chapter I wrote it quickly and might have made mistakes. Wellllll, I found a mistake. I forgot all about Bertha! I blame the movie. Anyway, I'm going to go back and fix that.

Lastly, some of you might be wondering why James didn't flip out as soon as he saw Snape. Don't worry, the anger is there and will be seen next chapter. And about next chapter . . . I have an active Hunger Games story that I need to finish before I lose interest, so that will be my top priority. However, I enjoy writing this story more, so I will try to have a new chapter as soon as possible.

Thank you for reading this. : )


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE **

"Severus."

Lily might have given him a small smile, but her voice was tense and slightly displeased.

Snape took a stumbling step backwards, all the while looking at Lily with an astonishment James had never seen before. Snape gave Lily one last look over before his eyes darted to Dumbledore.

"_Dark magic_."

Dumbledore winced and waved off Snape's accusation.

"Under normal circumstances I would agree with you, Severus. But there is a plausible explanation and witnesses."

"Witnesses?" Snape hissed.

"In a manner of speaking, I suppose. While Harry was in the graveyard, he and Voldemort's wands connected and invoked _Priori Incantatem_. The Reverse Spell Effect. A shadow of the people Voldemort has most recently killed with his wand appeared, and after a few hours their full bodies were returned to life."

Snape continued to scowl disbelievingly at Dumbledore.

James took a step forward to stand next to his wife and looked at the Headmaster indignantly.

"Harry? He was the one fighting Voldemort?"

Snape's eyes ghosted briefly over Lily before resting with distaste on James.

"Yes. He's not the brightest student, if you know what I mean," Snape goaded.

James ignored him and refused to take his eyes off of Dumbledore. The old man looked suddenly less pleased with the situation and fully ready to change the subject.

"Severus, please. James – It was out of my control. I was not there."

James was bloody tired of hearing Dumbledore dismiss his questions. What did he mean "It was out of his control"? Dumbledore was one of the most, if not _the_ most powerful wizard living. He knew practically everything that happened in the Wizarding world as it was happening.

"I disagree, sir. I don't think you _wanted_ to do anything about it."

"James," Lily breathed in his ear, and her hand reached out to clench his arm, telling him to shut up.

Dumbledore sighed wearily. "No, Lily. It's best that James releases all his anger now and not later."

James felt his face redden. "I am not a child."

Snape gave a cold, sarcastic laugh. "Prove it."

James's eyes shot to his childhood enemy. For the first time since he'd entered the Headmaster's office, he let himself study Snape. His face was still sickly pale, his hair still greasy, and that insufferable, arrogant glint still shined in his eyes.

"I don't need to prove anything to you. If anyone in this room needs to provide proof of anything, it's you. I don't have a Dark Mark tattooed on my arm."

Snape's eyes narrowed. "Keep up with the times, Potter. I am no longer a Death Eater. You would know that if you hadn't _died_. You dare accuse me of treachery when _you're_ the one who's been dead for thirteen years? People don't just return from the grave!"

"Severus, I've given you an explanation –" Dumbledore began. Snape ignored him.

"All those years, you tortured me and made my life a living hell."

Snape's eyes shot to Lily. "And you. You ended our friendship because of my 'dark magic'. You're going to stand before me now and expect me to believe you're innocent?"

Lily's nails dug into James's forearm. "How _dare_ you! I would never resort to Dark Magic!"

"Severus, this is the last time I am warning you!" Dumbledore's voice was strong and unforgiving. "I know this is hard to believe and virtually impossible, but it has happened and you need to accept it. There was no Dark Magic involved and this is not a trick. I insist that you apologize to Lily."

Snape was silent for many moments. "I have done my apologizing. I will do no more."

With quick steps, Snape strode out of the office and down the spiraling stairs. Everyone that remained in the room listened until his footsteps could no longer be heard.

Dumbledore grabbed a lemon drop from a bowl on his desk.

"I suspected that would go one of two ways. Believe it or not, that way was for the best."

James looked down at Lily's pale face. She looked outwardly furious, but he knew her better. She was shaken up by Snape's coldness.

"You must remember, I'm sure, that Severus is a man of fierce pride. I assure you, Lily, that he is quite thrilled with your return. He is simply embarrassed, that's all. He never imagined he'd get the chance to see you again."

Lily raised her eyebrows with sarcasm. "He looked thrilled."

Dumbledore gave her a sly smile. "Trust me, dear. He will come around. James, if you'll be so kind, please give Severus the opportunity to speak with Lily alone, when the times comes. It will do us all good."

James rolled his eyes to the ceiling to calm his temper.

"When the time comes, I'll do whatever I damn well please."

Lily sighed and rubbed her eyes in apparent tiredness. "James, you're no better than Severus."

He smiled and nudged her side. "Yeah, I am. I wash my hair."

Lily gave an involuntary giggle that was interrupted by Dumbledore.

"I know that you are both hesitant to believe a word I say."

The Potters looked briefly startled and chagrined.

James gave a sorrowful shrug. "Look, I'm sorry, sir. I think I'm just having a difficult time adjusting to – to being alive again. Or rather to the fact that I've been dead."

Dumbledore gave him a kind smile. "Yes, I know, my boy. I never took any of your anger to heart. But there are some things you do have a right to be upset over. I will openly admit that I have made mistakes. You were perfectly right when you accused me of not interfering with Voldemort and Harry."

Dumbledore nodded slightly in shame.

"I have not interfered because I do not believe it would do any good. As I've told you, as long as Voldemort believes in the prophecy, it will come true. Short of putting him under the Imperius and forcing him to comply, there is nothing I can do or say that will change his mind. Now, Voldemort doesn't know the full prophecy, but he knows enough. _The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord_. He will not stop until either he or Harry is dead."

"So you admit you should be trying to stop him from going after Harry?" asked James.

Dumbledore grimaced. "I admit that I should have tried to stop him while he could be stopped. I admit that I have not handled Harry's situation as perhaps I should have. But you have to understand – Harry is fourteen. I couldn't have guessed that he would be nearly as brave or clever as he has been."

Dumbledore paused.

"In a certain sense, I suppose I've underestimated Voldemort also. Look at how many times he's managed to get to Harry – I should have been more prepared. That Harry continues to fight him alone and survive is a sign in and of itself that the prophecy is at works."

Lily lowered herself into one of the chairs facing Dumbledore's desk.

"Albus, please promise me something. Please – from here on out, do everything you can to help Harry. If we can't stop this, then please at least fight alongside him. Don't hide anything anymore."

Dumbledore's face briefly became hard and grave.

"You don't know what you ask."

He stood abruptly and walked to one of his cabinets. He removed a silver instrument with a long silver tube on the top. With purpose, he tapped the tip of his wand to it. Green smoke puffed out of the tube and formed a snake.

Lily and James looked at each other warily.

"Not quite," Dumbledore mumbled. At his words, the snake's head split into two and formed separate serpents. Dumbledore nodded seriously.

"In essence divided," the Headmaster's voice was grim and quiet.

"Is this relevant, Albus?" James interrupted, his face impatient.

Dumbledore looked to the Potters with raised white eyebrows and nodded.

"Oh, yes. I'm afraid it is. To what extent, I can't be sure."

With these words, Dumbledore turned back to his instrument and persuaded the smoke to separate further.

James sighed heavily and looked to his wife. "I consider myself to be fairly intelligent, but I can't see what that puff of smoke has to do with Harry."

"Dumbledore," Lily interrupted the old man's personal mumblings, "promise. You'll tell us everything. And Harry."

Dumbledore sat the instrument in its proper place reluctantly. "Ignorance is bliss," he muttered.

James scoffed. "Is that what these last thirteen years have been? Bliss?"

Dumbledore didn't reply. Instead, he glided over to a different tall cabinet he had set in a corner. It was filled with glass phials – it always had been, for as long as James could remember. Now, Dumbledore studied them with saddened interest.

"I have shielded him because he is so young. But you're right, of course. Keeping it from him any longer will only harm him."

Dumbledore paused. He reached his aged hand up to the glass of his cabinet and pressed it against a shelf that was partly empty, as if willing the shelf to miraculously fill up. Nothing happened, and Dumbledore turned away from the cabinet in resignation.

"I will make that promise, Lily. But give me time. There is still a lot that I do not know myself. Things I can only guess. I will search for more answers."

Lily closed her eyes and nodded, and James wondered if she was beginning to develop a headache also. He didn't like this new world they'd woken up to. They didn't know nearly enough, and yet they were probably two of the only people who _needed_ to know.

"I'm afraid I have bad news," Dumbledore said quietly as he returned to his usual chair behind the desk.

The Potters simply stared at him, wondering if Dumbledore ever had good news anymore. Harry, Sirius, their return – it was good, course – even wonderful, but new, unforeseeable struggles would come with each.

James looked at the Headmaster with forbearing acceptance. Dumbledore looked possibly more saddened by his upcoming news than he had looked since the Potters had awakened.

"You will have to remain in hiding until further notice."

James felt his heart fall. He'd been hoping Dumbledore would find a way to make everything normal again.

"The Ministry is refusing to believe Voldemort is back. If they did believe he has returned to power, perhaps we could have come up with a better solution. But telling them the truth – and in this case, the truth is the only option, nothing else is remotely believable or legal – will only discredit our story more."

"Discredit, sir?" asked Lily.

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes. They are already rebuking Harry and I's claims of Voldemort's return. Telling them that two of you have returned from the dead – after concrete evidence that you did indeed die – well, it would only make us appear more delusional than they already believe we are."

James sighed in resignation. Hiding the first time had been horrible – and it had ended badly. Before, although the threat of Voldemort was obviously enough motivation to want to hide, they could have roamed the Wizaring world had they been daring enough. Now, however . . . it was a different story. Even the slightest glimpse to the wrong person could cause serious repercussions. They weren't allowed, legally and practically metaphysically, to be alive again.

Dumbledore looked truly sorrowful as he studied them.

"You will most likely have to remain hidden until the war ends, at the very least. The Ministry is not the only problem. Voldemort, as we have discussed, would only attempt to kill you again if he knew. If it is any comfort, James, this time you will have Sirius along for the ride. He _is_ considered an escaped convict."

James, despite the severity of the situation, gave an incredulous snort.

"I suppose that is one benefit. Where is he, anyway?"

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Currently parading around most of Britain in search of members of the former Order. In his dog form, of course."

James winced. "That's right. You know about that now. I'm sorry, sir."

Dumbledore gave a short laugh. "There's no need to be sorry. If I had known at the time, I probably would have been angry because there was a risk of immediate danger to all of you. But now, what is in the past is in the past. And it was quite the accomplishment."

Lily looked at James bemusedly. Dumbledore's words had clearly cheered him up slightly. His face was brighter and his mouth close to smiling.

"What of the others, though, sir?" She changed the subject. "The other three who returned."

Dumbledore directed his attention to her and nodded in understanding.

"Yes. Well, one was a muggle. No one knew exactly what happened to him, so it isn't as much of a problem if he returns to life. I have modified his memory and moved him to a different location."

"And the boy who was a student. His case is slightly more complicated. A lot of people saw the body, but not many got close to it. His parents are insisting we come up with an excuse and declare him alive. I do not believe it is that simple. They are failing to grasp that Voldemort saw him die and also saw a form of him return due to the _Priori Incantatem. _If he ever finds out even one of you is alive, he will go after all of you."

"That's not anything different," Lily muttered sadly.

Dumbledore ignored her. "The other witch to return is also going into hiding. Bertha Jorkins. I'm sad to say that she is having a difficult time of it, more so than any of you. She's terribly confused; someone has fiddled with her mind. It won't be difficult to keep her quiet, she's scarcely aware of anything happening around her."

James nodded thoughtfully. "I remember her. She's a couple of years older than us. What did she do that Voldemort decided to go after her?"

The Headmaster sighed. "That's a story for another time."

There was silence in the room for many moments. James and Lily still had years and years of information to obtain, but silently agreed between the two of them to ask questions of anyone other than Dumbledore. The Headmaster had clearly given all the answers he wanted to, and more times than not his answers led to more questions. Sirius would undoubtedly give them a proper rundown.

"What now?" asked Lily. Her question was expansive; they had so much they needed to do.

Dumbledore drew in a deep breath. "I will find you a proper home. If you have any suggestions or preferences, feel free to tell me. I will place various charms on the house to protect you. And if you are willing, I will also cast the Fidelius Charm once more."

"I'll be the Secret Keeper," James blurted. He had been fully expecting an argument, but both Lily and Dumbledore took this news with acceptance.

He needed to make up for the choice he'd made so many years ago; no one would have the chance to betray them now. He was also an excellent candidate because, well – he's technically considered to be dead.

"I will also keep my promise to you, Lily. I will tell Harry everything. Give me this summer to gather my thoughts and all the information I need, and starting next school year I guarantee that Harry and I will meet to discuss his destiny."

Lily nodded. "Thank you," she whispered sincerely.

"And now, I will contact Sirius and Remus. Are there any others you feel absolutely need to know you are back?"

James and Lily had no trouble coming to a resounding "No".

Dumbledore rose to leave, but James's voice stopped him.

"We'll be taking Harry with us, wherever we go, as soon as he's healed."

"Of course," said Dumbledore. "When he's ready, I'll send him up here to you. Until then, please remain in my office or in the room you stayed in last night."

Dumbledore left. The Potters looked around the room silently.

"This is going to be so hard, James."

James nodded. "Yeah, I know. But it'll work out. Harry's really the only thing that matters, and he didn't appear to hate us."

Lily stood and looked to the door that led to their temporary living quarters.

"I'm more concerned with Harry and Voldemort," she answered.

James cleared his throat. "I'm telling you, Lily. I won't let there be a "Harry and Voldemort" issue any longer. Dumbledore seems to think that the prophecy is only affected by what Voldemort believes. Well why shouldn't our actions matter too?"

Lily shut the door behind them. "He's right, though, James. I doubt Harry has been asking for this all these years."

James looked out of the small window in their room; the Hogwart's grounds hadn't changed a bit, just as the castle had remained the same.

"We're going to be practically useless, Lily."

"No, we're not. We are going to help Harry. That's the most important job we could ever do."

There was a loud, nonstop knocking on the door.

They both looked at it silently.

"Should we?" Lily whispered. What if it was someone who shouldn't know about them?

James nodded. Whoever was knocking was relentless.

Lily opened the door slightly and peaked out. James saw her body tense up.

She drew in a deep breath and looked back at her husband.

"I'll be back shortly, James."

At his confusion and concern, Lily gave him a helpless look and mouthed "Severus".

James scowled and remembered Dumbledore's request. _Let them alone_. Well, he would but he wasn't doing it for Dumbledore or Snape. He would give them time because he knew Lily needed to speak with Snape alone.

"He's a Death Eater," he hissed.

Lily glanced to the other side of the door where Snape was presumably standing. With resignation, she shrugged.

"I'll be fine," she said clearly.

He gave a begrudging nod and plopped down on the bed. He watched her take another deep breath and quickly but quietly exit the room, shutting the door behind her.

James listened as hard as he could, but he heard nothing. He hoped Snape had just charmed the room and not taken Lily elsewhere and risked exposure.

The minutes passed and Lily didn't return. James lied on his back and stared tiredly at the ceiling. Maybe he shouldn't have let them together alone . . .

He jumped in alarm when the knocking returned to the door; only this time it was more of a banging, as if someone was trying to blow the entire door off its hinges.

Startled, he stood up from the bed and stared bewilderedly at the door. He reached for his wand, which was now always under his sleeve; he'd learned his lesson – always carry your wand, no matter where.

With caution, he turned the doorknob and was promptly knocked straight off his feet. He gave a great cough as he landed and the air rushed out of his lungs.

James paused for many seconds, gauging the situation and trying to decide if he was in danger. But there was no more noise from the room, and he was completely convinced that he was going crazy.

He sat up slowly, raised his wand, and turned to scan his surroundings.

A great, huge smile broke out over his face and he lowered his defenses.

A big, black, and anxious looking dog sat feet away from him, its legs shaking and ears alert.

"Sirius."

* * *

AN: This chapter is more of a set up for other chapters. Something's better than nothing I hope?

I will write Lily and Snape's conversation into the next chapter.

And from here on out, until Harry speaks with Dumbledore, the Headmaster won't be as prominent. Sirius and Remus and all of the other characters will appear and it won't be as circular as it has been these last couple chapters. I'm just trying to give Lily and James some solid information, and Dumbledore's really the only person who has almost all the info.

Thank you again, so so so much for the reviews/alerts/favorites! They really mean a lot! Also, I usually do not reply to reviews unless someone asks a direct question, but I want everyone that reviewed to know that I love reading them so much, and I am so grateful for them!


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER FOUR **

From the way Snape had been relentlessly knocking on the door, Lily had assumed he'd had a specific purpose. Maybe something had happened, or he was just bursting to apologize – her memories flashed back to a different scene, that night she'd gone to speak with him outside of the common room. But that Severus Snape and the one standing in front of her were clearly two different people.

Severus looked reluctant, now that Lily was actually with him in Dumbledore's office. They were alone, and she wasn't going to strike up anything friendly until he explained himself.

Ignoring his aged face, he looked very similar to how he'd always looked. His black hair, hooked nose, and dark attire.

"I'm giving you five more minutes, Severus. There's no use for standing around."

Silently, Snape strode to the fireplace and picked up a small bowl filled with Floo Powder.

"I will not lead you outside of this castle."

Lily looked at him warily as he held the bowl out to her.

"I am the Potions Master. All you must say is "Potions Dungeon". It will lead to my office. We can speak there in private."

He glanced towards the room James was occupying. Lily knew her husband would undoubtedly be angered that she'd trust Snape enough to follow him.

_Dumbledore trusts him_.

Despite her past with Snape, the fact that Dumbledore would trust a man with a Dark Mark – he had to be _absolutely_ certain of his true loyalty.

Without meeting his eyes, Lily stepped forward and grabbed a handful of the Floo Powder.

"Potions Dungeon!"

When she emerged in his office, she swayed momentarily, adjusting to the mode of transportation she hadn't used in a while.

Snape's office was everything she'd expected it to be. Vials of potions and jars of ingredients littered his shelves, but all in an orderly manner. Lily looked around critically; something about Snape's office was fundamentally different than Slughorn's had been – but from her memory, even he had kept his potions and ingredients close.

When she heard the Floo network deposit Snape behind her, she turned with a half-smile.

"No pictures of your favorite students? You haven't created your own club to shower with parties?"

For the briefest moment, he glared at her in contempt – and then, the tiniest smile broke out over his face.

"I have no favorites."

Lily raised an eyebrow. "Not even among the Slytherins?"

Snape caught on to her small talk, and it seemed he was perfectly happy to oblige. It was better than insults and it broke the tension that had grown between them.

"Perhaps."

Lily was rather good at comforting people – finding the perfect way to distract them, or calm them, or even make them laugh. But she was having a hard time thinking of anything more to say to Snape. There wasn't much common ground between them anymore that wouldn't bring up past afflictions. Even, "How are you doing?" was not an acceptable question in this situation – Lily had just been brought from the dead, and Snape seemed to be a spy. Both were touchy subjects.

Snape made his way around his polished desk and bent over to retrieve something from the bottom-most drawer. When he straightened, he held a small potion bottle.

With slight interest, Lily stepped forward and examined the color; it was clear.

"Veritaserum?" She inquired. "Do you plan on tying me down and force feeding me?"

Snape stared at her face, momentarily speechless. Lily imagined it was hard for him – or anyone, really – to grasp she was alive once more. But Snape quickly snapped out of his stupor and placed the bottle of Veritaserum on the desk in front of her.

"It's not for you. I'm offering to drink it."

Lily looked at the Veritaserum bemusedly and then back to his serious face.

"Severus, it's your call. I don't know what you want to tell me."

Lily paused and her face softened. "I can't imagine what you _could_ tell me that we haven't previously discussed."

She had been dead for thirteen years – and before that, she hadn't spoken to Snape since that night outside the Gryffindor common room. She had ended their friendship because their differences could no longer be overlooked; the war was becoming too serious. His preference for the Dark Arts, his choice of friends, his inability to understand why calling anyone that foul word was wrong – it set him in strong opposition to her own beliefs.

Snape looked uncomfortable and ignored her comment. "Potions are my life now, Lily. I put my trust only in them. They are reliable and exact. What I wish to tell you . . . I'm unsure that you'll believe a word I say. I'm willingly offering to take that potion and prove this isn't a ploy."

Lily looked at him humorously. "Severus, I'm not submitting you to the effects of Veritaserum. You wanted to talk – and in order to do that, you have to participate. The moment you drank that potion, you'd loose your emotion and our conversation would be only my questions and your answers."

She hated to admit it, but despite her words, the truth potion would have made her feel more comfortable. But something about asking him to take that potion made her feel morally wrong.

Snape was still standing stiffly behind his desk.

Lily sighed. "Do as you wish, Severus. I won't deny that I'm unsure of Dumbledore's decision to trust you; Dark Marks don't lie. And Voldemort isn't stupid. It would be very difficult to trick either one of them, and yet you are."

Snape's flinch at Voldemort's name did nothing to help his case. Most people, of course, would flinch at the name, but someone who was claiming to infiltrate his inner Death Eater ranks in the name of the Order shouldn't be afraid of it.

Without hesitation, he snatched the potion off the desk and drank it in one gulp. Lily watched as he sat down tiredly and his eyes glazed over, his face slacking.

"It is better if I don't show emotion. It's better if I _must_ tell the truth – I fear I would tell you anything to make you . . . be my friend again."

He struggled against the potion, the words too sentimental for him, Lily suspected. But they were the truth.

"Tell me then, Severus. What you wish to tell me. I've been dead for thirteen years – I haven't the slightest idea what more you have to say to me, other than what you've said in the past. I haven't talked to you since Hogwarts."

Snape winced, and Lily felt bad for going too hard on him. Their fight seemed like a few short years ago to her. But to him, it had been over a decade – nearly two decades – and she was beginning to realize he probably had a better perspective on the situation than she did.

"I never meant to call you that name!" His voice was flat from the effects of the potion, but the force behind his statement made her face soften.

She opened her mouth to speak, but Snape shook his head.

"No, don't. I need to say this. I've waited so long to say this to you. I need you to know, I regretted the words as soon as I spoke them. I wasn't lying that night I came to your common room. And I promise you Lily, I haven't called another soul by that name since."

"You know the problem wasn't only calling _me_ that name. The issue was your belief in that foul word. You affiliations with those who also believe in that word."

"I can't deny I struggled with right and wrong. But after you died, everything changed."

Snape's face, as he'd mentioned, couldn't properly portray emotion under the potion, but Lily could guess his struggle to find the right words was the equivalent of shame.

"You have never known – I wish you didn't need to know – but I owe you an explanation. I must take responsibility for my actions. I am the Death Eater who relayed the prophecy to Voldemort."

Lily's face changed abruptly from confusion and begrudged sympathy to alarm.

"What?"

Lily's vision tunneled, and her mind went elsewhere. Dumbledore had told them, when they'd asked all those years ago, how he _and_ Voldemort had learned of this prophecy. Up until that point in time, prophecies hadn't been a big deal in any of their lives; it wasn't often anyone heard a prophecy, let alone an important one such as that.

A Death Eater had been there, in the Hog's Head that night listening at the door. James had wondered why Aberforth would let Death Eaters in. And then, when it had all sank in, the words of the prophecy had mattered more than the details – they had been much more focused on how to survive and what would happen to Harry.

"I didn't know he'd go after you, Lily! If I had, I never would have told him."

Lily stared at him in disbelief. This was a replay of the moment he'd called her that name. Why couldn't he understand? She shouldn't be an _exception_. He shouldn't call anyone that name, he shouldn't have wanted to – just as he shouldn't have wanted to relay that information to Voldemort, regardless of which family he decided to murder.

"I couldn't have known –" Snape continued in his listless voice.

Lily cut him off. "But you must have heard enough. _Born as the seventh month dies. _A baby, Severus. You were willing to send him after a baby?"

Snape's potion would not allow him to silence himself. "Yes," he replied.

Lily had more questions, of course. If he'd relayed that information to Voldemort, had Voldemort in return told him of his plans? When had Snape discovered which family, or families, was in danger?

"Tell me the rest of your story."

She was willing to be levelheaded until she heard his complete tale. He had gone to lengths to tell her all of this – he'd taken that potion, knowing he'd say this to her, the mother of the baby he'd put in mortal peril.

"I went directly to Dumbledore, after I discovered the Dark Lord's intentions to go after you. I begged Dumbledore to protect you. And then . . . you died. I was furious, but mostly upset. It was all my fault. If I had never told the Dark Lord of the prophecy, you would not have died."

Lily listened, all the while adding the pieces up in her head.

"Dumbledore told me the best way to honor you would be to protect your son. He knew the Dark Lord would return and go after him. In the meantime, I obtained this position at the school. I taught Potions and became Head of Slytherin House. When your son arrived four years ago, I was tasked with watching over him."

They had reached the point of the conversation where Lily knew, had he not taken the truth potion, she would have been doubtful. In fact, she _was_ still doubtful. She had known Severus for most of her life. He had been her best friend, and while she knew he could be compassionate in his own way, watching over Harry didn't fit into his usual protocol. Especially because Harry was James's son.

"Watching over him?" asked Lily, skeptical.

"Rather, watching over the individuals who were not friendly with Dumbledore."

Lily nodded. "Any of Voldemort's followers who tried to harm Harry?"

Snape nodded. His face was slowly starting to adjust back to normal.

"Thank you, Severus," she said sincerely. But something still wasn't adding up in her mind . . .

She looked into his eyes, which had become much sharper as the potion wore off.

"Our friendship was over, Severus," she said softly. "I hadn't spoken to you in years. We both chose our paths in life, two very different ones."

She paused. Did she want to go where this conversation was ultimately heading?

"And yet you still chose to warn Dumbledore? And to help Harry?"

Snape gave one short nod. They looked at each other silently for many moments.

"You . . . um, you did it for –"

She couldn't complete the sentence. Her throat was closing up and her head was spinning, and suddenly she felt like a horrible person. She had written off her friendship with Snape years ago – she had met James, they had gotten married and had Harry. Of course she'd thought of her childhood friend many times; he'd been the first to tell her exactly _why_ she was different, he'd been the person there to comfort her when she and Tuney's relationship went downhill. Lily hadn't ended their friendship lightly – she'd waited and waited to see if he would wake up and realize they were in the middle of war, both of them on opposite ends of the spectrum.

She'd spent a long time in denial. Her friends had warned her about Severus Snape. They'd always told her he would ultimately end up on Voldemort's side. It was one of the hardest things she'd ever done, finally letting him go – but her anger that day he called her that _word_ had propelled her into action.

Looking at his face now, hearing his story . . . well, it was surreal to believe that maybe he'd finally come around. And as for his reasoning . . .

"For me?"

Lily replayed his words. _Dumbledore told me the best way to honor you would be to protect your son. _

Snape looked visibly upset. It took her back to her childhood. The Severus Snape she'd seen in Dumbledore's office, the one who'd led her here to talk – it was clear he was different than the man she'd known. But that look, the desperateness in his eyes, it reminded her so much of the boy who'd been her best friend.

The truth potion must have completely worn off, because Snape offered no verbal response to her question. They looked at each other in silence once more, and Lily could tell he was teetering on an edge.

"Everything you've just told me . . . how you went to Dumbledore, how you've helped Harry, how you're going to spy for the Order . . . you did that all for me?"

Snape didn't reply. His face was tense with emotion. With a calculated, quick step forward around his desk, he reached out and hugged her.

Lily tensed in shock.

"I am so, so sorry, Lily. For everything I've ever done to you. I should have never called you that name. I should have listened to you, when you warned me of the path I was heading. I'm the reason you died."

Snape trembled slightly and she cautiously patted his back.

"I'm so sorry," he continually repeated.

Lily gave a great sigh. "It's okay, Severus."

When he pulled back, they looked at each other as friends. But something about his demeanor, about the soft look in his eyes and the grasp of his hand around her arm – it made her uneasy.

He must have felt her tension because within moments he was stepping away.

"I have wished for years that I could tell you that. I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable."

Lily nodded and accepted his words, but all the while reading between the lines. It had never been a secret that Severus harbored feelings for her years ago. Even if he still did now, it was best left unaddressed. Snape knew she had James and Harry.

"Thank you for making me listen," Lily said quietly.

Lily could have spent hours talking to Snape. She was sure he wanted to continue their conversation. But she had to admit – no matter how honest he was about his intentions (which he clearly had been, considering the truth potion), it was still difficult to take in everything he was telling her. And James was undoubtedly wondering why she hadn't returned.

"You have to understand though, Severus, that everything between us – our troubles at Hogwarts, the war – it's all as though it just happened to me. I'm going to need time to adjust to everything you've said. To this new life in general. But thank you, for everything."

Snape raised his eyebrows and sat down at his desk for the first time since they'd entered the room. He had a stack of papers, which Lily assumed must need graded.

"Is that your way of telling me to give you space?"

Lily stepped backwards toward the fireplace with a sheepish expression on her face.

"Maybe . . . we can be good friends again, Severus. Eventually. I just need time to get my life back together. And then there's –"

"James."

Lily nodded. "James."

James hadn't been a part of her life (well, romantically) when Severus had been her friend. It would be very difficult for the two of them to get along at all, even though Snape really was telling the truth about working for Dumbledore and helping Harry. Lily doubted they'd ever truly see eye-to-eye. And even though she might want to eventually be good friends with Severus again, James was more important to her.

Lily grabbed a handful of Floo Powder. With a kind expression, she turned back to look at him.

She smiled.

"Be safe, Sev."

She left him behind, sitting at his desk and watching the fireplace with an unfathomable expression on his face.

* * *

Padfoot's legs were shaking and his ears were twitching. His nose sniffed the air aggressively.

"Sirius?" James repeated. He was still sitting on the floor, having not got up after Sirius barreled into him.

Padfoot stood on all fours and continued to sniff the air. James rolled his eyes.

"Come on, Padfoot. Change back."

Padfoot halted his air inspection and stared at James silently. He cautiously pawed forward until they were almost nose-to-nose.

"It's really me, mate," said James quietly, "I promise."

Without warning, Padfoot leaped at him. Expecting to be overwhelmed with a gross face-licking tackle, James covered his face. Instead, when their bodies collided, Sirius had changed back into a man.

James had one fleeting moment to look at his best friend – his matted hair, baggy clothes, and weathered appearance – before his glasses were abruptly pulled off his face.

"What the –"

"They look the same," Sirius muttered. James squinted at his blurry face.

"Of all things to check, you're worried about my glasses?"

James heard his glasses hit the floor with a plunk. In the next second, Sirius slapped his hand roughly to James's cheek and pulled apart one of his eyelids with his fingers.

James's eye twitched as Sirius moved so close to his face, he could see without his glasses. One of Sirius's grey eyes peered at him suspiciously.

"The eyes are the right color," Sirius continued.

"This is a bit personal."

Ignoring him, Sirius moved onto his hair and pulled.

"Ow."

"It's real hair . . ."

James shoved at Sirius's chest. "Cut it out," he complained. But his attempts to deter his best friend fell short. Sirius was awfully skinny . . .

"Can't be Polyjuice," Sirius muttered. "James died years ago."

"I'm alive, you prat! Get off of me!"

Reluctantly, Sirius put the glasses haphazardly back on James face. He looked at him with caution.

"Dumbledore said you turned into Prongs."

Sirius stood up and backed away from James. James, who had been feeling extremely exasperated and not entirely convinced the whole thing wasn't a joke, now looked at Sirius sincerely. His best friend still looked as distressed as Padfoot had been.

Of course he wouldn't take this lightly. Would James really believe Sirius was back, had he been dead for thirteen years? No. Probably not.

"Here."

James stood to his feet, and with a pop, transformed into Prongs. It made him feel extremely claustrophobic; indoor transformations always did. His body and his antlers were meant for outdoors.

The look on Sirius's face was completely worth the small discomfort. Eyes wide and dare he say – teary – Sirius stepped forward once more and examined the stag.

"I can't believe you're real," Sirius mumbled shakingly as he brought a hand up to touch the black markings around James's eyes that indicated his glasses.

James nudged him lightly to let him know he was turning back. Sirius took one last look at Prongs before nodding in acceptance.

Man to man once more, they stood feet apart and stared silently. James was hit with the realization that, had Sirius not entered the room as Padfoot, he also would have wanted proof of identity. Sirius looked absolutely nothing like the man he'd known.

"Azkaban."

James hadn't meant to say it aloud, but as soon as he'd realized just why Sirius looked so . . . worn, it had flown uncontrolled from his mouth.

Sirius gave a bitter smile. "Twelve years of it."

James looked at his long, matted hair, his sunken eyes – he remembered how skinny Sirius had felt when he'd tried to shove him off. Suddenly, guilt pressed on his chest and he blinked away tears.

"I'm so sorry," James breathed, "Oh god, Sirius. If only I hadn't been too proud – I should have told Dumbledore – I should been Secret Keeper myself – I never should have trusted Peter. Twelve years!"

Sirius took a single, long step towards James and heartily pulled him into a brotherly hug.

"It's not your fault. I suggested Peter. If – If I hadn't, you wouldn't have died –"

"Don't be thick, it was ultimately my decision –"

"No, I suggested it. If only I had stayed Secret Keeper, you never would have died."

James patted Sirius's back and shook his head. "Then _you_ would have died. It's okay, Sirius. It all worked out."

They pulled back and James gave him a bittersweet smile.

"After all – Look at us. You're an escaped convict and I'm technically dead. It makes our lives interesting, yeah?"

Sirius gave a small smile at his pathetic attempt at humor, and James felt like maybe things wouldn't be awkward between them anymore. It was difficult to look at his best friend and see the face of a much older man. James didn't like how haunted he looked, or _why_ he looked so haunted, or that he hadn't been around to help Sirius. Just as much as he wished he could have been there to watch Harry grow up, he wished he could have been there for Sirius. The past thirteen years had clearly been hard on him.

Sirius smiled tiredly. "There hasn't been a single day gone by that I haven't missed you, James."

James smiled back sadly. "Don't . . . don't tell Lily, but this is _very _hard, Sirius. Being alive again, that is. I have to stay strong for her, but everything's such a damn mess. I've missed thirteen years!"

James stopped his flow of speech, thinking once more of just everything he'd missed. All his fears piled up – How could he help Harry if he didn't know enough about this new world? Would Harry even be able to accept them wholeheartedly, or would he feel resentment? How would Lily deal with all of this? Then there was Voldemort, and all the problems he seemed to be causing – this prophecy – the Death Eaters – the list of odds against went on and on. James felt, as the man of the family, it all rested on his shoulders.

Sirius interrupted his inner musings by putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't think for one second that I'm not going to be here for you. I was in Azkaban for twelve years – I understand what you mean about feeling disconnected from the world. We'll figure it out together."

Sirius paused and raised an eyebrow.

"I will not let you die again, James. Or Lily. Harry deserves so much more than what he's had in the past. You _all_ deserve so much more."

James was glad to see that the old Sirius was still inside that weathered body.

"So do you, Padfoot."

There were many words both men wanted to say; James was sure Sirius still felt guilty, as James was feeling guilty also.

"I know it's hard to accept . . . hell, I'm having a difficult time even _saying _it – but maybe it wasn't our fault. We couldn't have known Peter . . . Peter would . . ."

James closed his eyes. He just kept picturing his pudgy tag along friend. That Peter would have _never _betrayed them. And yet, he had. It didn't make any sense. James didn't understand how one of his best friends could betray them.

Sirius's face twisted and a hard glint appeared in his eyes.

"Don't feel any remorse for that rat, James. He's even worse than you can imagine, believe me. You should have seen him last year, begging Harry for his life in _your_ name, no less –"

Sirius paused. Both men listened closely. There it was again – a slight pitter-patter of footsteps.

"Sirius?" A hesitant voice murmured from the door.

James turned and his heart melted. Harry stood at the doorframe, his hair a complete mess and his eyes wide. Lily had been right; Harry was much skinner and shorter than he had been at that age. But it gave James hope that maybe they hadn't missed all of his childhood.

Harry glanced at James briefly before looking to Sirius.

Sirius, in turn, also glanced at James before he turned to Harry with a smile.

"Harry! You're looking well! How's the ankle? Um – I'm assuming that you've –" Sirius looked to James and motioned between them. "Met?"

Harry nodded. "This morning."

James smiled at him. "Have you escaped?"

With chagrin, Harry shrugged. "No. Madam Pomfrey let me go. Dumbledore told me that whenever I'm ready, to come up here and . . . you'd be waiting."

James nodded. "Yes! Yes, your mother and I are confined here until the Headmaster finds us a suitable place to stay. You're more than welcome to stay here also, although it's a bit crowded. An expansion charm, though, perhaps would help. Or maybe Hogwarts is different than normal houses, I'm not sure – But Dumbledore will figure something out and –"

"Come in, Harry. You don't have to just stand there," Sirius interrupted James's rant and gave him an amused look.

Harry stepped slowly into the room. The three of them stood awkwardly staring at one another.

"Well . . . if you're up for talking, I'm up for listening, Harry," James started, "Really, it doesn't matter what. I've heard some stories from Dumbledore. Or, you know, you could just tell me anything at all – or I can talk, or Lily can when she returns, she's just gone – well, she's gone to speak with an old friend, but if she knew you were here, I know she'd return."

James paused and glanced towards Dumbledore's office. "Perhaps I should get her?"

Sirius winced and looked at Harry. "James doesn't shut up when he's nervous. Don't mind him."

Harry gave one of his small, shy smiles that James found endearing and shrugged.

"I don't mind. I think it's brilliant."

Sirius gave a laugh and walked forward to grab Harry around the shoulders.

"Now don't go encouraging him, Harry."

James was eternally grateful for Sirius. Although their discussions hadn't been sunshine and daises, he'd easily switched back into his relaxed self and took control of the situation.

After Sirius had set Harry down on the edge of the bed, he led James to a nearby chair.

"Haven't I always told you how you resemble your father? It's uncanny, isn't it?" Sirius continued.

Harry nodded awkwardly.

"Sounds like he's jealous, doesn't it?" James whispered conspicuously to Harry.

Ignoring him, Sirius redirected the conversation. "Speaking of jealous, maybe we should wait for Lily to come back to talk about Harry. I'm positive she'd want to be here."

James nodded. "Oh, yes. She'd throw a fit if she missed something."

He glanced at Harry. "Not that she's like, mean or anything, she's just . . . temperamental. Well, no, not exactly temperamental – passionate? Your mother's –"

"Coming right now," Sirius interrupted and jetted to the door.

"Lily."

Although his back was to the room, both James and Harry could hear the warmth in his voice.

"Padfoot!" She exclaimed. James saw her red hair fly forward as she jumped up to give Sirius a bear hug.

"Oh, you look wonderful!" She breathed. James shot an involuntary alarmed look to Harry, who also looked embarrassingly unsure of Lily's comment.

Sirius laughed and pulled back. "A right out lie if I've ever heard one. But thank you for trying."

Lily placed her hands on his cheeks and shook her head. Her green eyes sparkled up at him.

"No, Sirius. Dumbledore's told us – Twelve years in Azkaban! Most people go insane within a year. And yet, here you are. You _do _look wonderful."

Sirius was smiling as he turned to face the room once more.

"Enough about me, for now. Harry's just arrived."

Lily's face lit up and she bounded forward to sit next to him on the bed.

"You look like you're feeling much better, sweetheart," she murmured as she ran her hand through his hair and felt his forehead. "Much less flustered."

Harry didn't reply, but his face showed the quiet wonderment it'd held in the hospital wing.

James knew exactly how he was feeling. Looking at the parents he'd never met was much the same as looking at the son they'd never really known.

"We were just discussing having a proper conversation," said Sirius. "About Harry."

Harry looked distinctly uncomfortable.

"We can talk about whatever you wish," Lily whispered to him, "But know that we are more interested in you than anything else. We love you."

Harry's eyes darted away from her quickly, and James could tell he was trying to hold back tears.

"I can help, Harry," Sirius offered. "I don't know everything, but I do know some things. Don't be shy. We're your family."

The word hung between them for many moments. All of the hesitance, the guilt, and the worries melted away.

"Family," Harry repeated. He finally looked up and met both James and Lily's eyes – and his smile spoke louder than a thousand words.

"Yes, Harry. Family," James echoed, and his meaning was clear – they weren't going anywhere.

* * *

**AN**: GAHHH, it wasn't supposed to be this long of a wait for an update. The problem was the Lily/Snape conversation, which I feel like I need to explain.

If Lily was still dead, living in heaven, and omnipresent then I do believe the conversation with Snape would have gone differently. I don't think she would have hesitated at all to forgive him and be his friend. But in this story, she's alive and as I referenced - her troubles with Snape are more recent in her mind. The reason Snape didn't get overly emotional: I think he realized that Lily would be hesitant and have a lot to take in. He would have tried his best to control himself, because he is a very proud man. There is obviously a lot more they will need to talk about, and I promise they eventually will.

And I also promise that Lily/James/Harry/Sirius - and possibly Remus, will have a long talk about life. Sitting down and writing that conversation could take up a hundred pages though, so if they don't talk about every little detail at once, don't worry. The story will develop and eventually all will be known.

LASTLY, I want to thank everyone for the reviews once more (and all the response to this story, in general). AND all the plot suggestions! I love suggestions because they help me think outside my little bubble. If there is anything about this story that is lacking (I'm sure there is), or that you want to see, let me know. But please be nice? :)


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER FIVE **

"_Yes, Harry. Family," James echoed, and his meaning was clear – they weren't going anywhere. _

Harry's smile remained on his face.

Lily placed a hand on his arm. "Harry, I know it's going to be odd, talking about the small things – or even, in your case, the more important parts of your life. But we really want – and _need _– to know."

Harry's face fell slightly and he looked to the ground.

"Ask away, then, I guess."

James wasn't entirely sure why Harry was so hesitant to reveal details of his past, and he questioned whether he wanted to know why Harry didn't want to tell them. James had a hard time believing it was out of shyness – how could _his_ son possibly be shy? Instead, he had a horrible feeling Harry thought they wouldn't be happy with his life thus far . . . and from what Dumbledore had told them already, Harry's life had indeed been far different than they'd ever planned.

"Do you remember what I said to you . . . the first thing I told you after you woke up in the hospital wing?" James blurted.

Harry looked up and met his gaze. His green eyes softened and he gave a half-smile.

"You said you were proud."

James nodded. "Exactly. We are proud. We know little about your past, but we know enough that it's obvious you've exceeded everyone's expectations. We would have been proud of you if you'd ended up in Hufflepuff hugging plants, mind you. But honestly, Harry – I can already tell that you're everything I – _we_ – could want from a child."

Harry's face was red, but whether from embarrassment or pleasure, James wasn't sure. Harry sighed.

"You're going to get angry, I think."

Lily nodded. "I can already tell you I know I'll be angry with Petunia. And Voldemort. Possibly Dumbledore. But you have to realize, sweetheart, that we aren't angry with _you_."

Harry gave an incredulous snort. "That's not it, exactly. I guess . . . it's just different, having someone _to_ get angry over the Dursleys, or Voldemort, or Dumbledore."

Sirius kicked his foot out and nudged Harry. "What am I? I've gotten plenty angry over the past couple of years, I'd say. And Mrs. Weasley has too, I'm willing to bet that, just from meeting her briefly in the hospital wing. And you can't forget about Hermione, Harry. She's nearly always worked up."

Harry smiled and shrugged at Sirius's claims. But everyone in the room knew the real reason Harry was hesitant – he was still finding it hard to adjust to having parents. How difficult would it be, to wake up one day and suddenly be able to form a bond with two people you'd longed to meet for most of your life? To finally have them, right in front of you . . . Harry had admired them for years. And now they were here, in the flesh, everything he'd always wanted them to be. Wanting to be the parents he'd always wanted to have.

Lily gave him a small smile and looked at him with kind eyes.

"Start from the beginning? With Petunia?"

Harry's scowled for a moment before he composed himself into a false calm.

"Nothing much to say. My life didn't really begin until Hogwarts. I went to Muggle School until I was eleven. Then I came here."

Sirius looked at him disbelievingly. "Harry – from my understanding, you've been threatening the Dursleys with my mass murdering skills for the past year or so. You do realize that if you tell James and Lily the truth, they are the ones who have the true power to avenge some of the wrong the Dursleys have done you?"

James looked at Sirius warily before turning to Harry.

The young boy's face was still hesitant.

"Harry," said James seriously, "We are asking you, as your parents, to tell us everything the Dursleys have ever done that made you in any way miserable. I don't like the way this is sounding – tell us now before we have our first argument."

Harry looked upset, but James saw a hardness appear in his son's face that he hadn't seen before; it was stubbornness, determinedness, and rebellion. It was a look James knew that he himself wore often.

"They never told me I had magic," Harry spoke quickly, his words clipped and annoyed. "I lived for years, thinking I was some type of freak for turning my teacher's hair blue or re-growing my hair after ridiculous haircuts. I was nothing better than dirt on their shoes, while they treated Dudley like a spoiled prince. I lived in a cupboard, under the stairs, while Dudley had two bedrooms. I never celebrated my birthday – I never got any presents, if you don't count Uncle Vernon's dirty socks. They did everything they could to keep me from my Hogwarts letter – the school eventually had to send Hagrid to come and get me."

Harry paused and took a breath – the adults were horrifyingly silent.

"Every year that I return from Hogwarts, they lock my school books up. They tell everyone I've been going to a school for incurable criminal boys. They force me to be nothing more than a house elf, cleaning up their lawn and making them breakfast. They won't even allow my owl out to hunt, most of the time. They won't even allow _me_ to eat, half the time. They put bars on my window and locks on my door to keep me hidden, to save them from the embarrassment of the neighbors discovering their magical nephew."

Harry's face was red from barely contained anger and he didn't shy away from glaring at his family.

"While I'm at the Dursleys, I have no one but Hedwig. Before her – I had no one at all."

His expression was less angered and more desperate as he looked to the floor in defeat.

"I used to dream, when I was little – when I had no idea what either of you looked like – that you'd come for me. That you'd take me away from them. All I wanted was someone to love me."

The tension in the room had increased by the second since James had demanded Harry's story.

Harry took a deep breath and fidgeted.

"I – I'm not mad at you. You are the best parents I could have asked for – you _died_ for me -"

He paused once more, the end of his sentence hanging in the air and clearly unfinished.

"I never asked for any of this."

The words unspoken spoke louder than the ones he'd voiced. _I never asked for any of this_. It was more than just his frustration with the Dursleys – it was more than his parentless childhood – it was more than his prophesized future – it was all of it put together.

James could only imagine how long Harry had been waiting to say that to someone. To tell his story, and have someone be equally as infuriated and devastated. For someone else to feel just as cheated by fate. The chance to run to his parents, like a child should, and tell them all his problems and have them fixed.

They all looked up abruptly at the sound of Lily crying.

"Lily," said Sirius, his voice sad.

She waved one hand to stop his words and placed the other over her face to cover her eyes.

They were silent.

James felt himself getting teary, so he took a deep breath and cleared his throat.

"We never asked for any of this either," James said, completely non-accusatory and softly. "Our lives should have been so different, Harry. We – We had such a different life planned for you."

Lily was still silent but refused to remove her hand away from her eyes. James glanced at Sirius, who was sitting to his right, and noticed that his best friend's gaze was locked on him, his face defeated and sorrowful.

"We would have celebrated if you'd turn your teacher's hair blue. You wouldn't have necessarily _had_ a teacher, though. We probably would have kept you at home, teaching you the basics of magical theory. We would have given you nearly anything you wanted. You would have been – you _are_ – the best part of our lives. And the day your Hogwarts letter came, we would have had a party – gone immediately to Diagon Alley – given you the best school supplies. You could have had all the friends you wanted over for the holidays. We –"

James paused and looked at Lily, wondering if she would intercede.

"We would have never let you fight Voldemort."

The most important person though, was looking right at James with a blank expression and wide eyes.

James met Harry's eyes and knew that nothing he ever said would make Harry's past struggles disappear. His son's suffering would always be a part of him.

"It will be like that now," James concluded. "I promise you. We are here now. Nothing will be the same."

Lily gave a great gasping sob, trying to catch her breath, and stood up from the bed.

"I need a moment," she rasped. Without words, they watched her enter the small bathroom and shut the door behind her.

Harry looked at the door guiltily.

"I didn't mean to upset her," he murmured, and his previous hesitant behavior reappeared.

James stood up and awkwardly made to take Lily's place on the bed next to Harry.

He clasped Harry's shoulder and gave him a small shake.

"You haven't. It's not you. It's the Dursleys. It's Voldemort. Just as she told you before. None of this is your fault."

He'd barely got the words out and Lily was opening the door again and charging in the room.

Her face was red, just as her hair, and her eyes conveyed her hurt.

"How could Petunia do something like that to a _child_? To anyone?" Her expression was fierce but her voice was a whisper.

No one answered her; there was no answer to her question.

She fussed with her sleeves in barely contained emotion and tapped her foot.

"I have to go speak with her – her behavior has nearly always been rude towards me, after I came to Hogwarts, but to treat an innocent child like –"

She cut off and sat down in James's unoccupied chair. Her face was still red and angry, but she was speechless as she stared at the ground in fury.

The room was silent. It was hard to move on. If hearing about Harry's childhood with Muggles was so horrible, how much better would it be to hear about his time at Hogwarts, dealing with the darkest wizard of the century?

Sirius cleared his throat. "Let's focus on positives. Start with your first year at Hogwarts. I know you got on the Quidditch team – youngest in a century."

James looked at Sirius in surprise before shooting his stare to Harry.

"You didn't tell me that when we talked about flying! Would have been the first thing to come out of my mouth, if it were me!"

Harry smiled, his face slowly losing its anger and sadness.

"I caught a Remembrall in front of McGonagall during my first flying lesson. I took a steep dive and it impressed her. She took me to the Capitan and ordered me a broom."

James squinted and looked at Sirius with mild insult.

"I've always been a brilliant flyer – I even won the Quidditch Cup that one year – she's never done anything special for me."

No one was sure just how serious James was about his perceived outrage. But the sly look James gave Harry out of the corner of his eyes told Sirius he meant his words to pay a compliment to Harry – to make him feel any amount of special.

Harry shrugged. "We didn't win the Cup. I actually . . . didn't get to play in the last game."

Just like that, their conversation turned.

Sirius interceded once more. "What about Ron and Hermione? I've never even quite heard the full story on the three of you."

"They were the two we saw in the Hospital Wing," Lily stated, joining their conversation once more.

Harry nodded at her. "Ron's a Weasley. He has six other siblings, all with bright red hair. Hermione's muggleborn. Her parents are dentists."

He smiled then. "I met Ron on the train my first year. Mrs. Weasley helped me get on the platform. He came and sat with me – all we did was eat sweets on the way there."

James nodded. "I know the Weasleys – well, I don't _know_ them, but all pureblood family names are well recognized. I think –" He looked to Sirius.

"Wasn't Gideon and Fabian related to the Weasleys? Is it their sister who married into that family?"

Sirius nodded. "Yeah. Molly. Ron's mother."

Lily wiped her eyes one last time. "Dumbledore expected your friends and their families could be in the know about us. Have you told them?"

Harry ducked his head. "Before I came up here. Neither of them really believed me at first . . ."

Sirius gave him a rueful smile. "I wouldn't have believed you either. I didn't even want to believe James, and he was standing in the flesh speaking with me."

Harry nodded. "Dumbledore's word goes a long way, I guess."

Sirius's face lit up mysteriously and he glanced at James with mischief.

"Actually James managed to convince me himself. Prongs doesn't lie."

James looked away, almost embarrassed, as Lily looked at him critically.

"Indoors, James?"

He shrugged and opened his mouth to reply, but Harry cut him off.

"Can –"

James and Lily looked at him expectantly.

"Can I see?"

James glanced at Sirius's wide grin and Harry's excited eyes, and realized that while he might know little of his son, Harry clearly knew something about him.

James nodded silently and stood. He spent most of his life basking in the chance to show off his talents – it was something he enjoyed immensely. But the nerves that suddenly appeared, making his hands weak and his smile less confident, were completely new to him. Magic was easy to him – effortless. He had no reason to be nervous.

But Harry's excited face, his wide smile . . . the memories of when baby Harry had seen Prongs popped into his mind. James felt as though his son had great expectations of his animagus, for reasons he was unsure, and it made him want more than anything to live up to said expectations.

"Okay, you should step back."

With a pop, Prongs appeared in the small room. Sirius and Harry both looked at him, critically and amazed.

Harry leaned forward to look closer but seemed to be too afraid to actually touch Prongs. James took a small step forward and nosed Harry's arm, giving him the go ahead. Harry slowly brought his hand up, and curiously, traced the markings around his eyes, just as Sirius had.

"It _is_ exactly the same," he murmured.

James waited until Harry had backed away again to transform back.

"It's the same," Sirius repeated, looking solely at Harry with distinct pride in his voice.

James suddenly felt like he was out of the loop, when he should have been in the middle of it.

"Pardon?"

Sirius grinned. "Harry's Patronus – it's exactly the same as Prongs."

Words wouldn't organize themselves in James's brain, so he was glad when Lily spoke.

"You _have_ a Patronus? Why – why?" Her voice switched from stunned disbelief to stressed in seconds.

Harry opened his mouth to reply. Sirius winced.

"That's actually all my fault," Sirius admitted. "They sent Dementors after me, when I escaped. I came to Hogwarts to catch Peter. Remus taught Harry to conjure a Patronus because the Dementors affected him more than the others."

Lily squinted at James, Sirius, and Harry in turn before shaking her head.

"Nothing about that sentence makes sense to me. Why would Peter be at Hogwarts? How could you have possibly known where he was? And Remus – why was he the one –"

James suddenly found his voice and cut Lily off rather loudly.

"Show me."

Harry looked at his father wide-eyed. Sirius stepped away from Harry and gestured.

"Yes, I've never seen it properly either."

With shaky hands, Harry reached in his pocket and pulled out his wand.

Lily grasped James's arm lightly, and they looked at each other briefly. It would be the first time either of them saw Harry do magic - apart from the little things he managed to do as a baby.

Harry clearly felt the pressure, just as James had. He closed his eyes with concentration.

"_Expecto Patronum!_"

A silver stag erupted at once from the tip of Harry's wand. It glowed bright in the small room. The stag was rather restless – it pranced around the bed, searching for the danger it'd been conjured to expel. When no immediate threat was registered, it pranced lightly to a stop and stood still, seemingly looking at each occupant of the room in turn.

James took a step forward, without accord, and the stag shifted uneasily; while he might not be a danger, the Patronus was meant for protection – its sole allegiance was to its caster.

With purpose, the stag straightened proudly before slowly vanishing before their eyes.

James felt shaken to his core as he looked at the spot the stag had stood.

Silence filled the room. Harry looked restlessly at his family; Sirius stared misty-eyed at the spot the stag had been, just as James – and Lily had placed a hand over her mouth, her eyes fixed solely on her husband.

"You never left him."

The four occupants of the room were brought out of their stupors and turned sharply towards the sound of the voice. Dumbledore stood at the doorway, his expression light and peaceful.

They all waited for Dumbledore to continue, but instead, he studied each person slowly.

"Your love for him, the _both _of you, protected Harry even though you were not here to protect him yourself."

Dumbledore paused and waited for a response, but it was clear that James and Lily were beyond words. The Headmaster respectfully moved on.

"Tomorrow afternoon the trains will leave Hogwarts," Dumbledore began. He turned to Harry.

"I know you would much rather spend time with your family, but I wonder if you would be willing to attend the feast tonight? I am going to say a few words about the return of Voldemort, along with the events that transpired in the graveyard – I would like you to be there, if you will."

Harry shrugged offhandedly. "Yeah."

Dumbledore looked to Sirius next.

"Did you manage to contact any of the former members in the short period of time you were gone?"

Sirius grimaced. "Just Fletcher. Thought I'd try him first. I figured he wouldn't be as quick to kill me as some of the others."

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, I will contact Remus and the both of you can relocate the old crowd. None will question his judgment of you."

Dumbledore looked to James and Lily. "But before that, perhaps you will want to see Remus?"

James and Lily both nodded. Dumbledore smiled. "He will most definitely enjoy seeing the two of you once more. Sirius and I will explain what has happened to him first, of course."

The Potters nodded in agreement once more.

"We – we were horrible to him," Lily whispered. Sirius shifted.

"He understands now, Lily," he explained. "We've already been forgiven."

"One last thing," Dumbledore continued, "regarding your future living arrangements –"

"They can stay with me," Sirius blurted, his face determined and excited.

"Er – Sirius, do you actually have anywhere to stay?" Harry questioned, his face uncertain.

Sirius waved him off and looked at Dumbledore with defiance.

"I've been thinking – if the Order is going to be reestablished, we're going to need a Headquarters. I have the perfect place. My parents' house; I inherited it when they died. It was once under the Fidelius Charm – but my mother was the Secret Keeper and she's dead. I know the location, along with a few of my cousins. But if we recast the charm with a different Secret Keeper, it should prevent them from finding it again. Besides - no one would even think to come looking for us there."

Dumbledore looked thoughtful. "That is true. I do not believe any of your relatives that previously knew the location would be able to reveal it, or find it, if a different Secret Keeper is instated. Unless, of course, that Secret Keeper told them the location once more."

Sirius nodded happily. "Exactly! We can have the Headquarters in a safe place, not to mention a rather large house. Even with James, Lily, and Harry staying there, there would be plenty of room for anyone who needed to lay low."

James looked at Sirius hesitantly. "Sirius, mate . . . Do you really _want_ to go back there? After everything – everything that happened?"

Sirius looked alarmed for a moment, before his face turned into a scowl.

"I hate it there. I won't deny it. But if we –" He gestured to all three of the Potters "—are together, it will certainly be worth it. Not mention – Harry needs protecting, and we need to keep hidden. It's the best solution."

James still looked doubtful. "I'm sure we could find somewhere else – We might be able to relocate to my parents' house -"

"Let me do this, James," Sirius snapped. "You did the same for me. You gave me a home when I had none."

Lily squeezed James' arm and nodded to Sirius. "Of course, Padfoot. It _is_ a good solution. However –"

She glanced at Harry. "However, is it wise to have Harry at Headquarters?"

Harry's face reddened in defiance and Sirius put a hand on his shoulder.

"Of course it is! He'll be completely protected!"

"I don't think that's what Lily was referring to, Sirius," Dumbledore interceded. "The Order of the Phoenix is essentially an army at its core. The information that passes among us is of the utmost importance – people could be, and have been killed to obtain the information we possess. Especially now that Voldemort is rising underground, with the Ministry refusing to believe he is back – the Order will be the only resistance to him. There is a chance he will come after us tenfold. Harry should not have to deal with the fear of being pursed for his knowledge of the Order and its workings – he is pursed enough already. Furthermore, he is a child. Should we subject him to more than he is already forced to be subjected to?"

Lily looked at Dumbledore in surprise.

"I agree with you. But remember - I want Harry to know what he needs to know."

Dumbledore nodded.

Harry looked insulted. "Don't I have a say in any of this?"

None of the adults answered him.

Dumbledore sighed. "What you have all forgotten, I'm afraid, is that Lily and James cannot necessarily attend Order meetings. Not everyone will know they are alive – not everyone would be willing to believe it either. That is why I believe this arrangement can work out – Lily and James can ensure that Harry neither sees nor hears anything he needn't. They can make sure he stays clear of the meetings while they are being held."

James scoffed incredulously. "It was hard to stay confined in a house before, Albus. Now you're saying we might have to be confined to certain rooms so we will not be seen? Maybe this isn't a good idea."

Sirius looked alarmed. "No! It can work out!"

Dumbledore was silent in thought for a few moments.

"It is Sirius's home. I see no reason why he wouldn't be able to restrict an entire floor from the eyes of the Order. We really only need one room, most of the time. The rewards of this arrangement – the protection it will provide, along with the opportunity to live as a family – should outweigh the risk. If the two of you," Dumbledore looked to Lily and James, "are willing to be careful, I see no reason it cannot work."

James looked put out. "I _want_ to be able to attend the meetings. If I can't, what can I possibly to do help? I can't be seen in public! I can't go fight Death Eaters for fear of Voldemort discovering us! I won't be able to bloody do anything!"

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Neither will I, James. And I can tell you everything that happens in the meetings. Or – if Harry agrees to behave himself – you can Disillusion yourself and listen in."

Dumbledore gave an amused smile. "It will not be much different from before, James, when you were hiding. I have asked you if you wished to let any other than Remus and Sirius know of your return – you said no. In the end, despite my beliefs, it _is_ your decision to decide who can know of your existence. It is your life. But remember – you must also think of what it will mean to Harry, and to those who also returned from the grave, if by chance your existence is revealed to the wrong person."

Lily looked up at James sadly. His wife's eyes were sympathetic and comforting.

"Harry matters the most, James. Above everything else. You know that. We can do this – we can live with Sirius and prevent Harry from harm. You already knew we wouldn't be able to fight like we did before; not attending the meetings won't be too hard. You know as well as I do that Sirius will tell us every single detail."

Sirius nodded. "Of course!"

Dumbledore sighed. "We will figure it out when the time comes. For now, though, I must prepare for the feast. You should do the same, Harry."

Harry looked at his parents and Sirius with reluctance; he didn't want to leave them.

"Wait a moment!" said James. "We've barely started talking! We hardly discussed his time at Hogwarts at all!"

Lily's face darkened. "Yes. And I've heard some interesting stories, Dumbledore, about Harry's home life. I will be paying Petunia a visit."

James looked at her, his face lighting up diabolically. "Not alone, you're not. I'm going to be there also. Scare the wits out of them, threaten their lives -"

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that," Dumbledore's stern voice interrupted. "I will not allow you to see your sister, Lily. I am sorry. They are Muggles – they don't understand magic to begin with, let alone the very rare magic that brought you back. It is hard to tell how it will affect them – it is difficult to say if anyone would be able to know that you visited them."

"The hell we can't!" Lily's voice rose. "You just told James he could decide who knows he's alive. Well, I want to speak with Petunia and her husband, so they most _certainly _will know I am back. They can't treat my child that way without repercussion."

Dumbledore looked at her warily. "And you will do as James said? You will 'threaten their lives'?"

"Yes!" James agreed. Lily, on the other hand, basked in her anger for a moment before speaking.

"It is hard to tell what exactly I will do. But you cannot deny me this, Dumbledore! How would you feel, if you were our position?"

Dumbledore looked at Harry for a long moment.

"I am sorry, Lily. I forbid you to go see them. It is risking too much for the purpose of vengeance. One day they will get what they deserve, but today is not that day."

Lily's eyes flashed and her face reddened even more.

James put a hand on her arm. "Let it go."

With shock, she turned to him. He looked equally as infuriated, but something about his expression made her think he was holding something back. She knew that look – he was planning . . .

Dumbledore looked suspiciously at James before he nodded.

"After the feast tonight, Sirius and I will travel to his house and perform the Fidelius Charm. As the leader of the Order, I will be the Secret Keeper. And tomorrow, after the students have all boarded the train, I will escort the two of you home. I will inform the Weasleys of the location, and they can bring Harry."

Lily looked stricken. "I –" She glanced at Harry. "I wanted to meet him on the platform."

Greeting children from Platform nine and three-quarters has always been an inherent right of parents; Lily had missed out on his first day of Hogwarts. She wanted to be there, she wanted James to be there to welcome him home as a family, for the first time ever.

Dumbledore looked at her sorrowfully. "I am sorry that you cannot. Even if we disguised you – Harry is too well known; people would wonder who was greeting him. You will have to settle for welcoming him home at Sirius's house."

Harry looked begrudgingly at Dumbledore.

Lily looked back at James, willing him to say something and argue, but he shook his head at her. If mischief weren't clearly present in his eyes, she would have wanted to slap him.

"Sirius," Dumbledore called his name as he turned to leave. "We will meet after the feast and go to your house. And tomorrow, after I have escorted Lily and James there, we will search for Remus."

Sirius looked equally as displeased as the Potters. He nodded and let Dumbledore go without argument, however.

When Dumbledore was gone from their room, Harry looked at his parents cautiously.

"It's all right," he said dejectedly, "It's enough that I get to leave the Dursleys – that I never have to see them again. You being here means more to me than putting yourself in danger to threaten them."

Lily walked forward and pulled him into a tight hug.

"Everything will work out, darling," She talked into his hair, "We _will _be happy and safe. I promise."

Unlike most teenage boys, Harry turned into her hug and held her equally as tight. When they pulled back, both looked calmer.

James also took a step forward and pulled Harry towards him. He ruffled his hair.

"Your mother's right."

With a grin, he turned his face away from listening ears and spoke directly to Harry.

"Brilliant Patronus, son. Absolutely brilliant."

Harry was grinning ear to ear when they separated.

"I'll see you tomorrow then?" He questioned as he walked backwards to the door. "At Sirius's house?"

Sirius nodded. "Our house, now. Tomorrow."

Harry reluctantly turned the door handle, and with a small smile and wave, disappeared out the door.

Lily closed it behind him, pulled out her wand, and silenced the room.

"Dumbledore has a lot of nerve!" She growled. "We can do whatever we please."

James smirked.

"You better tell me what you're planning, James Potter!"

Sirius looked to him in interest. "A plan? Can I help?"

James shook his head in refusal. "It's perfect though. We'll be able to pay Petunia and Vernon a visit, and go and meet Harry on the platform without danger. Dumbledore won't even be able to argue, in the end."

Lily raised an eyebrow. "I can't imagine what you're thinking."

James sighed, a disgusted look on his face. "How did your visit with Snape go?"

Sirius shuddered and looked at Lily with surprise. "Why would you go see _him_ before you saw me?"

Lily gave Sirius an exasperated glance. "He found me first, Sirius. And James, it went as well as it could have gone. I found out a few tidbits of information I think will interest you. But why do you ask?"

James's disgust turned into wariness.

"Because we're going to need his help."

* * *

**AN: **Sorry for the long wait! I put an explanation on my profile - I really did have a reason. So if I ever disappear for longer than two weeks, check my profile and there should be a explanation.

Two things: a) I apologize for James's comment about plant hugging Hufflepuffs, I meant no offense. I like Hufflepuffs. I also like plants.

b) I got a review last chapter about use of language and it possibly being OOC for the characters, regarding the area they live in in Britain - Sorry if any of it is wrong! I'm not from the UK, so I don't know much about the dialects!

Lastly, I want to apologize for any previous and future - upset? - that I cause anyone if they disagree with reactions of the characters - I know a couple people weren't pleased with the Lily/Snape convo. I try to look at things logically, and that is what I base my reactions/plot points off of. I try to make it canon/fandom friendly, but if it isn't, I'm sorry.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, and thank you to EVERYONE who reviewed/favorited/alerted! I will say that every single chapter. I appreciate it so much. It honestly gives me motivation to know what people are thinking about the story.

Next Chapter: The Dursleys, Remus, Ron & Hermione, Grimmauld Place . . . maybe more.

Also, I have NOT forgotten about Cedric. :) Review?


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